Ribena
by Fred and George Weasley Twins
Summary: Stepping into his bedroom Alex landed on his bed and pressed the cold pack to his face. Eve set off at a run, Tom at her heels. Fox ran a hand over his hat that he always wore around people, it hid his red-brown hair; he was 24 and looked about 40. "Yes urm...I'm sorry to say your carer Jack Starbright has been poisoned." The world dimmed till Alex knew no more.
1. Packages

Stepping into bedroom Alex landed onto his bed and pressed the cold pack back onto his face. Lying on his back he looked at the ceiling, it had intricate little swirls draw onto it almost like the sea. He let his face relax into a smile, as a child he used to lie here while his uncle was away watching the ceiling. He would imagine boats, and pirates and the massive sea monsters.

"ah ha milarties!" The big black pirate yelled, "I spy a ship of girls!" The other pirates yelled.

"Fight! Fight! Fight!" They screamed in unison. The two deadly ships spied each other and fired, cannonball's filled the air. Each was battered, they were sinking together. Then a small blonde sea monster sat in-between crying that he couldn't save them. Crying he sank to the bottom. But a blonde mermaid came along and sang to him, made the monster feel happy cared for.

He opened his eyes; the mermaid had never been in his imagination before. But her voice had made him think of somebody. He sighed; between MI6 and this flat he would never have anyone make him feel loved. He mentally shook himself again, agents did not mourn girls. They got on with life, killed some badies. A knock at the door pulled me back, he clambered up and went to our front door. Opening it showed a pretty girl holding a package, she was a head shorter than him and was eyeing the bruise on his cheek with interest. She held the brown box out and not meeting my eyes said,

"It was left at our door. How'd you get that?"

"Thanks," He pulled the package out of her grip and put it down behind our door. Facing her again she muttered,

"In a fight?"

"Of sorts…" he mumbled back.

"Oh!" She gasped, he had caught her interest, "Did you win?" Her eyes were bright and looking straight at him.

He thought back to it, he had won but only cause they were killed. "Yes but…."

"Oh wow!" She exclaimed, she stared at him for a moment and then said hurriedly, "And Mum says you need to come over for dinner again." She backed away grinning at him. He nodded,

"Okay, bye."

"Bye bye." She giggled and walked off. he pushed the door closed.

This was terrible, he thought, Jack wasn't back till 5 and I'm already bored. Landing back onto him bed he thought of sleep, switching the lights off he closed my eyes. Letting his throbbing cheek rest. The box lay forgotten next to the door, which was locked.

Alex's mind was blank as he lay asleep. No nightmares for once. But as the black figure appeared at the door he did turn over. A simple grey letter fell through the letter box, the name 'Royal and General Bank' were clearly displayed on it. Outside the door the figure peered through the door, but nothing happened and they turned away. Another figure had appeared though the second one pulled a gun on the first as the first ducked and also pulled a gun. The first shot at the second who stepped to the side and shot at the first hitting him in the stomach. The first ran up the stairs, avoiding shots from the second and shoved a letter though Alex's door too. Falling to the floor he pressed a hand to his bleeding stomach and crawled to the stairs. The second, who was two steps down, sent a single shot though the first's head. Picking the first up the second walked away and dropped a bottle of Ribena on the floor.

Alex still slept.

His laptop turned on and an email came up from Royal and General Bank. It didn't open, but Alex still slept.

Outside two black cars were shooting at each other and as one backed away a body flopped around in the back. It screeched away down the road, a shower of bullets following it.

Alex still slept.

A woman picked her way up the stairs, avoiding the patches of red littering it. Picking up a single silver disk she sniffed it and sighed. Lifting her heavy bag over the biggest blob of red she put it down next to Alex's door. Pulling out a key she opened the door into the package. Throwing herself against the door it pushed the package and she was able to drag the bag though.

"Alex, I'm home!" She yelled. No response. She could see the light out in his room, her breath quickening she ran inside his room. His dirty blonde hair was across his face and his chest was rising and falling slowly. Asleep. Jack smiled and closed the door again instead looking at the packages, two were R&amp;G she kicked them aside, another seemed blank until she saw a tiny scorpian tattoo in the corner. Jack dropped the letter screaming, a bang from behind her told her Alex was out of bed again. He appeared next to her, a pistol in his hand. Jack stopped screaming and turned to look at him. He was looking at the snake letter, he picked it up, placing his gun in his back pocket. Ripping it open it had one line of writing on it, Jack looked at it for a second and then at Alex. His dark eyes were narrowed in concentration.

_UPI,NRYYRT,NR,DVSTRF.__*****_

Then suddenly they opened in understanding. Alex sighed and shoved it into his back pocket. Casting a glance at Jack he smiled,

"Are they Royal and General by any chance?"

"Yes, and please don't tell me the Ribena outside is yours."

"Oh jack! I have been good all weekend and not left the house. As you asked."

"Well who..."

"I'm guessing these two," Alex held up the two letters, "Arrived at the same time."

"AND HAD GUNS!?"

"Jack, I have a gun 24/7, you need to in my life. Cause you can't call it a job."

"Don't tell me school..."

"Nope, they have no idea. Its in my inside pocket Jack!"

"You still going to school tomorrow?"

"Sure, I like a nice normal life. Might as well take the opportunities."

"And please, I ask you, don't spill any 'Ribena'."

**_)(_**

**Hey guys, how do you like it? I Felt like writing this one too as a slightly more grown up version of 'Living Dangerous'...**

***This is actually a solvable code and will be used later on. (My tip is qwerty=wertyu) :) It shouldn't be too hard but just DM if you are really not getting it. I tested it on my little brother (11) and it took him 15 min. And no offence to him, he isn't the sharpest pencil in the box!Also if you don't like predictable plots then concentrate on the main one cause sub-plots one could be SO predictable but cute!**

**Loving you all**

**George xx**


	2. Tiger

Alex really couldn't be bothered, rolling out of bed he landed on a cold pack, discarded from last night. Dragging himself over to the cupboard he stood up and looked into the mirror, the blue bruise on his cheek wasn't too bad. Tom and the others had seen worse. Shaking his head wearily he ran his fingers though his hair, and rubbed his eyes. Stumbling to the bathroom he splashed his face and cleaned himself. He could hear Jack singing in the kitchen, no he really didn't fancy the argument this morning about school. He slipped past her and into his bedroom again. He pulled out his planner and read the lessons today.

English (groan)  
Maths (really?)  
Physics (pft.)  
Double sport.

"What!" Alex looked at Double Sport, all this meant was he had to be careful of his scars. But also he was outside, and after yesterday that would be dangerous. Infinite directions that they could come from and no way to carry his gun. Oh well…. MI6 would be tailing him now, so he should be fine.

Pulling on a plain white t-shirt he looked down to see if his bullet wound was visible, thank god it wasn't but the muscles on his stomach were defined and he would have to try and hide that instead. Too many awkward questions… Dragging on his shirt he got ready for school. Letting the normality of the situation calm him.

It had been 2 weeks since his last mission and he had been forced to keep fit to make sure he could get called out at any moment. It was torture, cause he couldn't even do it in the day. At night, so nobody noticed.

"Jack, it's time for me to go." Alex yelled as he picked up his school bag and reached for the door,

"Cya Alex!" She hollered back. He opened the door and stepped into the 'Ribena' blood. Sighing he walked downstairs and ignored the red prints following him. It was too familiar for his liking. Letting himself out of the block he looked towards the carpark, next to Jack's red mini was a silver Aston Martin with an American number plate. Remembering it he found his bike and threw on a helmet.

The traffic was dreadful, blocked cars, traffic jams and even the pavements were full of people. This suited Alex fine though, he wove between the cars with ease, letting the horns wash over him. His phone buzzed as he pulled to a stop outside a modern looking school,

Alex, Do you know why the traffic is so bad? Jack x

Looking around he saw no particular meaning, but a silver Aston sat in the school carpark with the same American number plate. Alex stared at it, how come it had got here as fast as he did. Or was it a different number plate? He drew out a pen and noted it down; he would have to check the state later on. But kids were pushing around him now, and he was losing sight of the car. Only when a thump on his side and a squeal of "ALEX!" did he stop looking in it's direction.

"Alex!" A boy screamed, he stood with two girls and three other boys, "ALEX!"

"Shut up Tom." He yelled back, his voice sounded strange compared to his normal serious drone, it was alive, childish and young. Making a mental note to make MI6 as guilty as possible for this he ran over. The two girls hugged him and, to his own embarrassment, so did Tom.

"Hospital?" He muttered in Alex's ear,

"Yeh, but we think Scorpia is back, tell you about it later." Alex drew away and greeted the others,

"Alex where have you been again?" Lily turned to him in annoyance, "Grace has been asking after you for ages!"

"Ill, after uncle died they think my immune system has started to attack itself. So when I get a cold or anything they need me in hospital." Alex had researched this, it actually did happen. But not out of grief, normally out of severe wounds or amputations. But as Alex had wounds even if they researched it he was ahead. Tom winked at him as they dragged their feet into class.

English was Alex's worst subject. Miss Odiosis* was so boring nearly all of the class was asleep by the half hour. Alex sat in the back corner with Tom, Charlie, Danny and Matthew. They spent nearly the entire lesson discussing FIFA, which was all they really ever did! Alex zoned out as they rattled on about how they had done a tournament with a group of Stratford Upon-Avon kids, and how Tom had decided that the one called 'Cory' was a 2-timer. Alex watched the group of girls at the front, his two friends Lily and Eve were discussing animatedly with the three girls who Alex hated most. Grace, Sarah and Hollie. They were so obsessed with boys and abs that the fact Alex was back was the highlight of their calendar, well until he came back next time. Grace was sitting in silence doing her makeup, Alex watched with bemusement as she added a layer of powder onto the other layers of foundation. Matthew, who was the only one who didn't love FIFA, grinned at Alex.

"Please don't tell me you like her," he said, quietly enough that only Alex could hear.

"Matt, she looks like an orange gone wrong. She is more fake than Miss's 'diamond' necklace." Alex cast Matt a sideways glance and both of them erupted into laughter. Then caught each other's eye again and stopped with many hiccups and snorts. Alex copied down the notes of the board as the bell went. Grabbing his bag he disappeared with Charlie to maths.

Most of the day was as normal as Alex could have imagined. Leon, the school bully, pinned Alex against the wall to find out where he kept going.

Leon wasn't in Chemistry after that.

At lunch however the boys grabbed a table and were having a perfectly normal time when Alex saw the car again.

He stood up, looking for the silver car's number plate.

It was the same. Sitting down he pulled out his phone and opened up email,

To: RoyalandGeneralBank   
Sub: Car

Jones,

Alex stopped and thought, how could he contact them without others knowing. The look on his face obviously caught Tom's attention, leaning over he muttered,

"What?"

"How can I contact R&amp;G without others knowing?"

"Code?"

"Really Tom?"

"Yeh, old fashioned but effective." Tom drew away and smiled at Alex, who nodded and thought about the letter yesterday…. Right.

To: RoyalandGeneralBank   
Sub: Vst**

Kpmrd, fp upi lmpe vst?  
223-JOB

Yjsmld, S;rc

Hitting send Alex relaxed again, now the idiots at MI6 were on it. He should be able to relax, if anyone let him.

"ALLLEXXX!" A high pitched squeal assaulted his ears, Jack covered his own to protect them and Matthew head butted the desk in annoyance. A blonde and orange blob dressed in blue appeared next to Alex, "OMG Alex, where have you been?"

"Ill."

"Oh so brave!" Swooned Sarah,

"Alex, are you okay?" Hollie attempted to be serious but couldn't stop grinning,

"OH NO! He needs looking after!" Grace shrieked, both Charlie and Danny flinched.

"I'm fine now, I just need to go to Sport. Guys?" The others all got up a bit too fast, Tom fell over into Danny who grabbed Sarah around the neck so to not fall into the bin. Sarah looked at him as he got up, she had a look on her face that told him to get them all out of here before she went mad. "Come on," He muttered and they walked off. Ignoring the moans of Sarah from her ruined makeup. Danny was rubbing his hands together trying to get rid of the orange residue from her neck.

But the calm had all gone wrong in sport.

"Hello, sit down boys." Mr Alacris* was always to the point, "Today we will be doing an extra-curricular activity!"

"Oh shit." Tom muttered to Alex, this normally meant they would be doing wrestling or…

"We will be doing Karate." The class cheered as two men in White appeared they bowed to the class and then to the teacher.

"Hey guys," Alex gasped in recognition. They were from SAS, Unit B, Tiger and Bear, "I'm George and this is Sam and we are black belts. We have been asked to do an extra curricular with you boys."

"So," Bear's voice was low and demanding, he was leader if he remembered correctly, "Has anyone here done Karate before?" Alex's noticed Fox was looking at him directly, Tiger nodded subtlety, and Alex raised his hand along with Leon and Tyler.

"Belts?" Tiger snarled

"Blue," Muttered Tyler, a few people clapped even Leon looked impressed

"Purple!" Leon remarked, "By three weeks." Some people cheered. Tom sniggered, this was going to be funny!

"You boy?" Bear looked at Alex and showed no shock. Great, Alex thought, they were sent here on purpose MI6 you're going to get it.

"Black…" Alex muttered.

"Speak up," Tiger smiled, it was one of the only times he had ever seen him do so.

"Black." Alex announced, and promptly sat down. No shock on either Bear or Tiger's face. Tom nudged Alex in the ribs,

"You know them don't you? I saw George nod at you before you put your hand up."

"Yeh, and they were sent by MI6. They knew I was here, they are here for a reason."

"Do you think it's because of the car?"

"Oh yeah!" Alex sighed, "Do you reckon I will ever get any peace?"

"No chance mate," Tom gave him a sideways glance, "But you do get the…"

"Rider! If I catch you talking again, I will give both you and your little friend detention." Mr Alacris sat down with a 'humf'. Tom scowled, he wasn't that small, yet he was still the small one!

"Now class, I will be splitting you up into pairs. So you can practise." Bear and Tiger moved among the 11 boys splitting them up, of course one was left. Alex.

"C….Rider you will be with me." Tiger smirked at Alex, who glared back. Last time Alex had met Tiger it hadn't been fun.

_Flashback_

"Oh, who's this then Egg?" Tiger sauntered over to the Unit grinning, "Another mummies boy?"

"Yeh well, we always get landed with them cause we are bloody best."

"Tell yourself that Wolfling." The man smirked at Alex, he was strong built and was just taller than him.

"Bugger of Tiger." Eagle snarled.

"With pleasure!" Tiger sauntered off.

_End Flashback_

"Bugger of Tiger," Alex quoted almost silently to him.

"Yeh sorry about that," Tiger smiled again, "I was a bit of a dick back then."

"I never noticed, and fyi I'm not a mummies boy. Mum's dead never really knew her, she was an agent too along with Dad. Even try and use that against me and I will beat you into oblivion."

"Look Cub, get past it. I ain't that evil, I act it but even to Eggy I'm not that evil to use dead parents against them." While this almost silent exchange was happening they others were following Bear and learning basic kicks and punches. Tom and Danny were quite good, Alex noted, but Ryan and Cameron were dreadful.

"Oy! George, put him though his paces for us."

"Fine." And Tiger pounced.

It started of quite slow, controlled and neat. Tiger aimed a neat punch at Alex's temple but he dodged and lashed out at Tigers side. He hit solid muscle. Tiger placed a kick in Alex's stomach but instead of doubling in pain he continued to fight. Mismatched thoughts were streaming through his head,

_Italy, Scorpia, fights, death._

Alex felt a punch hit his temple, and his vision dimmed. He struck back harder, and harder. Tigers face became a hard line.

_CIA, Yassen, Air Force 1, Mr. Grin._

Faster and faster. No noise penetrated Alex's ears now. His kicks became more violent, more dangerous.

_Sarov, Rothman, ASIS, The red circle._

At this Alex fought for his life, a blur of arms and legs. Impact but no pain. His vision was becoming blurry, blackened.

_Africa, McCain, Bomb, Sabina, Ash._

Alex fell. A strange floating was filling his head, a black cotton wool feeling.

Alex wanted to sleep, but a wet red substance kept him awake

"Jack its not Ribena…" He murmured.

**Do you like it? Don't forget to review down there!**

***It's Latin (I hope :)) So you can research their meanings. If you want to or are bored.**

****It's the same Code again guys! I have ANOTHER CLUE! If you want it of course,**

**Clue 2) Keyboard. (That's all I'm going to say guys! Yjsyd s;; o, hpomh yp dsu hiud!)**

**Update soon **

**George xx**


	3. Massacre

Alex held an icepack to his head, for the second time in two days. The school Medical Room was a place he was too familiar with, and didn't enjoy this particular experience any more than the last 4.

"Alex," The blonde woman from Student services opened the door, "Jack says that you are to not come home and that you should meet her at the 'Royal and General' is that a pub?"

"No, it's our bank. I probably need to sort out my interest."

"Interest! At your age!" She clicked over in her mad heals, and took the ice from Alex. Placing it into the mini freezer in the corner she peered at Alex's head. "You sure that was a fall? Looks mighty like a punch to me."

"I fell onto the… mat. It had just been stood on and had a... um… footprint that made it look like this." He held eye contact with the woman, she looked appraising until she spoke.

"Well its lucky his foot moved isn't it!" She nodded to herself, muttering. Alex sighed in relief, it had been a bad cover story but she didn't seem the brightest of people. The school was deserted as Alex padded the large corridors, spying an old tie on one of the upper window panes he jumped up to get it. Pulling himself up on the hard metal, it felt almost normal having the pain shoot through his biceps. Reaching the tie he landed neatly on the floor, letting the ache of his arms calm him.

He could hear a teacher shouting ahead and avoided the area; looking sideways he saw it was a science class. Somebody had blown up a Bunsen burner. Nothing compared to him, he blew up the entire science block! He had been heroic that day.

But he wasn't a hero. He was a pawn played by a hero in a game of chess, or was it even that! What was MI6 really, a bunch of Hero's saving the day? Alex let out a short laugh and let himself outside by kicking the right part of the door. No, MI6 was the grey area in the middle. The dirty white, the clean black. SAS was the Queen, and the agents pure pawns in the grey game.

Alex punched the next door, letting himself into the Sport area. The gym had his class in it, and Alex contemplated re-entering. But it was too much effort, too much pain. So, turning away he went to get changed. The cold air of the air-conditioned changing room cooled his bruises and taking off his PE top it made the bullet wound in his chest feel less cramped and painful. A door banged open behind him. Alex bent over covering his scars,

"Alex?" It was Tom's voice, "Don't hide dippy, its only me!" Alex stood up and turned to Tom. Who's jaw fell open at the purple, red and black scar that took up Alex's chest.

"Yeh, don't hide." Alex turned away and pulled on his school shirt and got fully changed. Tom pulled his bottle out of his blazer and went to open the door, "Don't say anything." Alex scowled at him.

"I… I never would dream of it." Tom breathed and he exited.

Alex grabbed his bag and wandered back out into the corridor. He could hear girls giggling in the Hall next to him. He kept on walking until he saw, 'Fitness Suite enter only with permission.' On a blue and gold sign. He entered the sweaty room, a few teacher sat in the adjacent room but they weren't paying attention. Alex dropped his bag and went over to a H shaped bar in the corner of the room. He rolled his sleeves up and placed his hands on the cold metal. Pulling up he placed his chin on the bar and let himself down again, he did it again.

_A grey pawn in a grey world. Nothing's right, nothing wrong. Even murder._

He continued to repeat the task, closing his eyes. Letting the musty smell of the gym assault his nose, and the sound of happy voices wash over his banging headache.

_Useable, playable, a small useless character who is easy to manipulate. Blackmail and lies._

He blocked out the noise, it irritated him. Letting his thoughts calm him along with the rhythm of his movement.

"ALEX BLOODY RIDER!"

"TOM!"

"Whaaaatttt?"

"Language!"

"English." Alex chuckled and opened his eyes, he rested his chin on the bar and opened his eyes. Lily, Eve, Tom and Charlie stood staring at him. Eve particularly was staring at his arms which were supporting his whole weight, it seemed, effortlessly. Alex watched as the two other boys opened the door and wandered in too. Both looking at Alex, who realised what he was doing and let himself drop. Eve watched him land, the way he moved was rare, uncommon, it had a dangerous air to it. Scowling she tried to work out what it was, his movement was like a big cat. He was beautiful and dangerous all at once, like broken glass. He walked over grinning.

"Shut up," Alex smiled, "And don't tell Grace." Tom laughed and the others all went ahead. Alex in their midst, as he stretched he felt a rush of cold where the gun was. Spinning around he saw Eve coughing. Good, she was the only one who could have seen, and she couldn't have if she was coughing.

Eve however had seen all she needed, Alex Rider was not normal. Nobody else sat on a gun every day. She tapped Alex on the shoulder,

"Uh hu?" He turned around.

"We need to talk Alex." She whispered, "Not here, or now. Meet me at my locker after school." She stalked off.

Alex smiled, Eve was a funny girl, but his smile soon faded as he remembered her coughing. Her hiding the fact she had seen the gun. His breathing quickened as he followed her bobbing brown head to her locker. She pulled out a 'Fall Out Boy' bag with the slogan, 'Never murder.' On it. Alex shivered, this was going to be fun. Reaching her she grabbed his arm and pulled him into an empty classroom.

"Alex, please please PLEASE tell me that wasn't a gun."

"What gun? Where?" Alex pretended to look shocked and as the door slid shut with a bang he breathed heavily and sat on one of the tables. The lights were off and the only light was coming through the door. Eve walked over and stood in front of Alex,

"It was, wasn't it?" She stared Alex in the face, he avoided her eyes, "And no WAY were you ill."

"Fine, that was a lie. But I'm not telling you where I was."

"I don't need to know. I can tell your not normal, I can tell your not telling us a lot. But you better have a damn good reason why you are blatantly lying to your best friends."

"Cause I have to, Tom knows anyway."

"How come…"

"I don't know okay? He just gets to know. It's not up to me who knows or not, I don't make that choice. They do. Tom slipped into it all last summer, he went to Italy to see his brother and was in the wrong place at the wrong time. If I had a choice none of it would even have happened, nobody would know and I wouldn't be forced to go to school. But life is life and I can't change it. They are gonna keep me doing this awful shit forever okay? I don't have a choice, its blackmail." Alex put his head in his hands, he could feel a small hand on his own hands prising them apart. He flinched away.

"Okay. Calm down Alex. Just cause they make you do it, its fine. I don't really need to know, I want to, but I can't. If they make you do it its obviously illegal."

"It's grey." A bang outside woke them up.

"He's in here!" A man yelled, he was holding a gun. Two other men arrived at the door.

"Hide!" Alex muttered to Eve who dived under the teacher table. Alex followed her under, pulling out a fully loaded pistol. Clicking the first bullet into place he muttered behind him, "Well now your stuffed." The door flew open and three men in boots walked in, all the boots had a white snake drawn on them. Alex pointed his gun and it hit the first man in the head. The others yelled and looked around for the murderer. Alex rolled to under the next table and one of them saw him.

"There!" He yelled in an Italian accent. Alex shot him in the chest before he could point him out to the other, who other sent a spray of bullets at Alex. He dived behind a cupboard. One of the bullets pieced his blazer and left it tattered at the edge. Alex could see a trail of blood seeping from the second man to be killed. Looking down he noticed he was covered in blood, he had obviously splashed in it in his hurry to avoid bullets.

"Now now Rider, stay calm and drop your flimsy weapon. We want you alive not dead."

"Of course!" Alex sneered from behind his cupboard, "May I ask my murderers name?"

"I'm Roia, from Scorpia." Alex stood up and fired three shots at the man, one caught his ear the others his head. He fell to the floor very dead. A slight intake of breath made Alex jump, he had forgotten about Eve. She sat covered in blood in the corner under the table, where the second man's blood was gathering in a puddle by her feet. Her eyes were wide, scared.

"Eve?" Alex wandered over and saw his planner was dropped into a puddle of blood. Alex's hands and blazer were drenched too; the second one he had shot was still bleeding, but feebly. Alex had caught an artery by his heart.

"Alex…." Eve muttered faintly, "That's what… Is that what you do?"

"Eve, I'm an MI6 agent. Blackmailed into it, my parents were too. Come out." He reached under the desk and helped her out. She weakly clambered out, "You're covered in blood."

"Trust me, your worse." Alex looked down and saw his Blazer and shirt were soaked, "I didn't mean to get his artery. This is a mess!"

"You can shoot well Alex. But now I see why you had a gun, I don't blame you. Who were they? Why are they here?"

"Well they are from an organisation called Scorpia who hate me and want me dead. They were three of their operatives, but now Scorpia will really want me dead. So we are screwed."

"Well keep it loaded… please." Eve mumbled at the floor. Alex squeezed her shoulders and let go. Just as the door banged open and Tom, Charlie, Danny, Matthew and Lily ran in. Alex hurriedly changed his hold on the gun, making it look like he picked it up.

"Eve!" Lily screamed and went forwards to hug her, and the realised she was covered in blood.

"Alex, what?" Matthew looked around at the three dead bodies and the pool of blood around the second.

"Alex, are you hurt?" Danny looked shocked to see him covered in blood.

"Alex, what happened? Who was it?" Tom questioned.

"I dunno, I was walking past Eve at her locker and this man grabbed us and dragged us in here, the other two came in after. Then his man in a suit and balaclava ran in shot them and ran off. Eve and I had this one," Alex kicked the second man distastefully, "fall on us, and I pulled out this gun to protect us if they came back." Danny gasped and Matthew held onto Lily's arm to stay up, jack's jaw dropped and Tom rolled his eyes. He was having none of these lies. Eve glanced at Alex, her eyes glittering with admiration. Now she could see why he was an agent.

"Alex have you seen…" Lily gestured outside. Alex and Eve shook their heads, "Well, you need to see." Tom stepped backwards and held the door open. They trooped though. Eve grabbed Alex's hand, squeezed it and let go. They stepped outside and Eve gasped, a teacher lay on the floor ahead, dead. Following the others Alex looked around, a couple of scared student sat huddled in a corner, they recoiled at Alex and Eve. Lily knelt down in the blood soaked carpet and spoke to them in a calm voice. A few students lay dead on the carpet, Matthew closed their eyes and pulled them off each other, making them seem calmer. A group of students and teachers stood in the girls toilet, Tom called them out and began to speak to them.

Everything was silent, no screaming. Just Lily and Tom's calm voices and the sound of Danny, Jack and Matthew moving from body to body.

They school was in shock.

Eve looked at Alex in shock, "Was this all for you?"

"Yes." Alex's voice sounded hollow, even to himself. His stomach was empty, his head full of thoughts. The sound of an ambulance could be heard in the distance. Eve pulled Alex forward by grabbing the gun and pulling him forward. Looking back at him she smiled in encouragement and fell over a body. Standing up she looked at the body, Tyler was on top of Hollie, he had died protecting her. Alex looked over and saw Sarah and Grace sobbing in the corner, Eve let go of the gun and went over to them. Alex walked forward, looking side to side getting faster. The Student services ladies lay dead, three teachers piled up shot in the doorway. Then,

"Alex? ALEX!" A woman's voice screamed at him from down a corridor, spinning round he saw Mrs Jones and Alan Blunt standing with three armed men, "Alex please put the gun down." Alex realised he was holding it in front of him, pointing at them. He lowered it to his side.

"Alex, you know why this happened don't you?" Alan Blunts voice bored though Alex chilling his blood. He fell to the floor, tears tracing tracks on his stained face. He could hear a clicking Jones's heals but a smaller body put her arms around him first. The smell of Blood and Girl hit Alex, making him cry even more. A curtain of brown hair covered Alex's face, and her small brown arms protected his shaking body. The clicking stopped,

"You did this, blackmail." Eve scowled at Jones and Blunt, "You should hear him. He is damaged, you did it." The venom in her voice shocked Alex, he had underestimated Eve Bellemy.

"Alex?" This time an American voice, Jack came running down the corridor and stopped at the sight of Eve.

"He's crying," Eve said just loudly enough that only Jack could hear. More footsteps behind them, lots of footsteps. But Alex didn't care. He let the tears run.

"Alex, please tell me it's only Ribena." Jack coughed, Alex shook his head.

"But it's not mine, or Eve's…" The tears overcame him again.

Everything was silent for a moment, only the wind and sirens could be heard. Even the clocks seemed to have stopped at the fall of a hero. A set of footsteps broke the silence, the smell of Lynx appeared next to Alex, also wrapping his arms around him, two more sets of feet, and then a final set of feet. Three more people joined the huddle.

Alex's heart exploded as they all hugged his shaking body.

Un-afraid of the Ribena coving him and Eve.

**I have no idea what to say after that...**

**Please review?**

**George :( xx**


	4. MI6

Shockingly school was on the next day. The floors were still stained red and vile splatters covered the floor. White marks drew out where people died and men in suits wandered the school, looking into students faces and checking Teachers id.

Alex and his friends were un-questioned, by students or adults. They barley left him alone all day, and Alex needed the company. Whenever he saw blood he would feel guilt fill him up, they died for him, accidentally. Alex saw the place where Tyler and Hollie had lay, their two body shapes drawn onto the chewing gum strewn carpet. Inside the shapes were,

'Student 7, bullet in chest, sacrifice.'

'Student 8, bullet in neck, in way.'

Alex rubbed out the Student 8/7 and wrote their names.

"Rider, don't meddle with evidence." The crisp voice and clicking of heals could only belong to one person. Miss Jones placed her hand on Alex's shoulder. He drew himself up and turned slowly round to face her. Tom at his one side, Eve and Lily at his other.

"Yes?" Alex couldn't keep the venom from his voice.

"I know your angry with me." She sighed, "But we need you and anyone else who knows to come with me."

"But nobody else _knows_." He placed emphasis on the last word, making a snarl.

"Alex, I'm not an idiot." Miss Jones shook her head slightly, "Just come on." She clicked off, her heals splashing in the soaked carpet.

"Lily, Charlie and the others are in Sport. Find them there." She nodded briskly and walked off as well.

"Now you get to meet my lovely employers." Alex's voice dripped sarcasm as they followed the smell of peppermint.

"Alex, sit down."

"No."

"Alex's friends, please have a seat." Tom and Eve sat in two seats on one side of a desk, Blunt sat the other side with Jones standing neatly behind her. Both looked serious, both pale from a night of no sleep. Alex had barley slept too, and his attention span showed. He had learnt nothing about Ionic Bonding, or Covalent. And his knowledge on Ancient Greece was getting worse every day. But Alex didn't care.

His brain was full of other things.

"Tom and …."

"Eve." Eve sounded meek and scared. Alex bent down next to her,

"These two aren't scary. They wouldn't do anything if it hurt me." Eve sat up a little straighter.

"Yes…. Tom and Eve. We believe you know about Alex's job."

"Yes." Tom replied shortly.

"The one you blackmailed him into? Yeh, I know it." Eve glared at them, "You had no right…."

"Actually we had full right. It was necessary."

"TO RUIN A BOYS LIFE!" Eve stood up, which made no difference, and glared at both of them.

"Miss, please. Alex was never going to be left in peace, his Uncle, Mum, Dad and Bank were all really spies. Scorpia," Alex winced, "The red circle, Snakehead and others…" Alex scowled, "…Were never going to leave him alone until he died. We did what we could, and used their target to punish and destroy them." Miss Jones, handed Eve a red sweet which she took, but didn't open.

"Now, you three are going to be sent along with class…. 10Y1…. To the Brecon beacons."

"NO!" Alex interjected, "Please, please, please no."

"Alex. You will be used as a programme the SAS are using to help work with children after Point Blanc they knew they needed help." Alex physically turned around at this, the memories of point blanc weren't his favourite, "So we contacted Marshall and volunteered your class to go. So they could get some work and so you all could be trained, like the SAS."

Alex rolled his eyes at the security guard, he stood looking down so you couldn't see his face. But Alex would have recognised Ben Daniels from anywhere. He winked back, smiling at the floor. "Hey Ben." Alex breathed, the other guard let out a cough that disguised a chuckle, Alex looked over and saw an unmistakeable lock of blonde hair fall out of his hat.

"Alex, please don't make me laugh. Cause it will make eagle die laughing." The blonde guard grinned. Alex wandered over. Prodding him in the stomach he fell onto the floor giggling. A man next to him who was short and stocky build kicked him in the bum making him laugh more. One of the guards from behind Jones began to edge around the room. Making his way over to Fox he grinned at Alex too.

"Rider? What have you done to our guards? We were talking to you." Jones's voice made Eagle cough into silence and stand up and Snake smack the smile of his face, fox fought for a straight face and Wolf glared around at them all. "Yes, Tom, Eve. This is K-Unit, one of the ones that will be training you. Along with N-unit and B-Unit."

"How come we are being treated like one of your lot too?" Tom looked bemused as he battled the grin sliding onto his face. Eve hadn't bothered, she was half way between a smile and the sad expression she had worn all day.

"Because Kid," Fox stepped forward, "You guys are now in MI6 control. This entire prison is. Every one of your scrawny friends and dippy teachers. Even your brain dead head teacher that Eagle scared the hell out of earlier."

"Aw! He was shit scared!" Eagle chuckled, "Sorry." He muttered at the glare from Wolf.

"Anyway," Fox continued, "You three, well two are now part of MI6 basically. Once you know some secrets, this one about Cub, then you are in. You sign the act and then your told everything you need to know. You can't breathe a word of it and will be taught to withstand torture and all sorts; you're not agents like us. But you are operatives; you will be shown stuff and told to work it out. Or killed." Fox shrugged of the last words.

"What?!" Eve stopped smiling very fast and spun round to see Blunt holding two documents out to them. Tom took his and signed it, looking pleased, Eve took hers carefully.

2 days ago all she had been worried about was whether Charlie was single or not, now she had seen people get murdered, her classmates get shot and now was becoming an operative that could be dead in three days. She had also found out that an evil organisation was after her friend who also turned out to be a spy. Now she was signing 'the act' and was being told she could be dead soon. Nope, this was not her day.

Eve pulled out a pen and signed the bottom of the document, her heart sinking, she could now die. But so could Tom, or Alex.

"So do you know who killed all those people?" Tom lent on the desk, discarding a pile of paper onto the floor.

"We know exactly." Alan Blunt pulled out a remote and turned the projector on, a slide show came up, and a group of people was shown. Alex recognised all of them, the old Scorpia. "This is the old Scorpia. Alex successfully destroyed all but one of them a while ago…"

"Was that Italy?" Tom turned to Alex, who nodded.

"…But now we think that one person has brought them back. Her name is Mia." Blunt circled the girl right at the back of the old group.

"We think Mia is after Alex, and Alex only for putting shame on her old group. The new Scorpia has infiltrated many places and is bigger than ever now. They have sub-groups, all have a different speciality. One group we know about has infiltrated the Italian government, or the Consiglio dei Ministri*, and has 10% advantage in the Ministri. Which is worrying. The other two groups are even more trouble, one is an 'Assassin' group (gruppo assassin*), which is after Alex. The other is based on a boat and is all about capture and gaining money through kidnapping for money, they also brainwash people so they become one of them." Jones sighed and sat back down.

"Exactly. So our aim is to train as many of the people around Alex as possible so that we have a larger 'army' so to say to be able to take Scorpia back."

"So, how many am I gonna kill alone without a gun or backup this time?"

"Well we are focusing on the main ones, the group after you.  
Mia, trained in everything, intelligent and in control.  
Corrien, her second in command, highly trained assassin. Dead, shot yesterday.  
Scarlet and Camissa, her 'double act' twins and both high level gymnasts and assassins.  
Roia, gun man, best shot and dead.  
Leon, weapons and gadgets expert, never directly in the fight but can in need be, black belt in karate.  
Wisdime, general genius, tatics expert. Dead also."

"So. You and your class will be taken from school with parents' permission tomorrow, they will be spoken to soon and we will be visiting parents tonight. Thank you, now back to lessons."

"Mind the 'Ribena'," Fox muttered as they left.

**Heya again :D**

**THE CODE (dun dun duuuuunnnn) wasn't needed here, but don't think it's gone!**

***This again should be real Italian, but if you speak Italian or are better at translating than me... do please tell me!**

**I know I keep saying it, but I'm not perfect, and neither is the story. So do please REVIEW and tell me what I need to improve or calm down on! (Cause I do get exited when typing)**

**LUV YAR ALL  
George xx**


	5. Safeplace

Alex slept badly, memories of SAS training and 'the massacre' haunted him. Nightmares that swarmed though, each leaving a trace of hell behind. By 8'oclock Alex felt like he hadn't slept at all, his door swung gently open as somebody turned on his light.

"Go away…" Alex groaned, he might be a spy, but he was also a teenager who didn't like mornings.

"Really cub? You better not do that at camp, or wolf will skin you alive!" Alex shot up, looking at the man framed in his door. His smirk and entire existence made Alex glow, he was one person Alex might get up for.

"Foooooxxxx, I wanted to throw water on him!" Eagles unmistakable wine made Alex actually smile, which was rare since the massacre.

"And Eagle I told you, he would flatten you."

"Let him try."

"No Eagle don't, I've seen him fight. Your nothing compared." Fox crossed his arms turning to see Eagle slouching off with a bottle of water.

"Why are you here?" Alex croaked, his screams in the night had ruined his voice.

"MI6 has sent us. Wolf is getting Tom and Snake is getting Eve, they decided we needed each other because we couldn't be sensible outside SAS. You guys have all got state security right now, so you get your security and a clown!" Fox smiled at Alex and walked over to his bed, "Look, that massacre wasn't your fault. It was Blunts'. That car was a Scorpia car, with an American number plate to put you off, make you think it was the CIA or something. Blunt is under watch at the moment because he told us all to ignore it, Jones is suspicious but can't do much. Those men would have killed more if you didn't do something, what you did was… very much something your uncle would have done. Killed them, stopped them in their tracks."

"But…."

"No Alex, you need to put it behind you. Things like this, sadly, happen more often than you think. But MI6 covers up well. Trust me, putting it behind you will help in the long term. Now get into SAS gear, you are going in the land rover with your two friends and the bags. The class is going in a minibus, that Snake is driving, me and Eagle will be with you guys. Wolf is going to be with the bus and Jones and a few guards will be in two cars with us." Fox stood up and walked out, squeezing Alex's arm as he left.

Dragging on his gear left in a pile by Eagle he threw some stuff in a backpack and, remembering what Fox had said picked up the picture of his uncle and wrapped it safely in the middle. Dragging his bag of medication off the top of the wardrobe (he kept it safe from himself and enemies up there because too much or none of it could kill him) he shoved it into his bag. The unmistakable sound of a Land Rover floated though his window and the sound of a clunking Minibus behind it. A door slammed and Alex wandered out into Eagle and Fox, both now in SAS uniform too.

"Cub, we have had you and your two special friends made exact uniforms so they fit you three. The others have versions we have…. Adapted." Eagle grinned, "They won't be doing much, in our terms, so they won't need much. You will be doing full training and your friends half training."

Alex's front door flew open as Eve and Tom came bowling in, Snake followed grinning.

"Wolf isn't doing well with the kids…."

"….Alex look at us!..."

"….Alex, why did these people come and get us?..."

"….so far one has had a shoe thrown at them and two have barley stopped crying…."

"…..and these are like proper army suits…."

"SHUT UP!" Jack stood in the lounge door with her hands on her hips, she was barley as tall as any of the adults but they shut up the fastest, "Thank you." She vanished again.

"Guys, you three are getting real training. You two only half cause no way could you cope with full…."

"….try us!"

"No Tom, it nearly killed me!" Alex rolled his eyes at his indignant friend.

"Anyway," Eagle continued, "You are going to get strange looks from your friends and get over it. They aren't going to like it, you will be sleeping in dorms with them. But you CANNOT tell them anything. Okay?"

"Yeh?"

"Was that a question?"

"No."

"Good, come on then. Load your bags Alex, good you actually thought not to bring the bloody kitchen sink." Eagle grinned at Alex's 50L bag, it was the size they wanted, not blue suitcases. Alex wandered downstairs grinning at the stained Red patches of the 'ribena'.

"That was me you know." Fox whispered in Alex's ear, "Stupid scorpia agent. Asked for it if you ask me."

"Is he dead?"

"As a doorknob." They opened the flat doors and walked over to the car, Alex could see his school friends noses pressed to the glass staring at them in SAS gear. Eve grinned and waved at Grace and Sarah who both had red eyes. Charlie, Danny, Matthew and Lily were sat at the back and gave Alex the thumbs up and Charlie made a love heart with his fingers. Alex stuck his tongue out and swore at them. Eve glanced at Alex and frowned, did he like her? It was insignificant now but something in her stomach lurched at the thought. No, this was not the time to think about Dating. They were all in mortal peril.

Sort of. She was locked in a car with two fit, hilarious men. A comic, stubborn, loyal friend and Alex. So three fit men then. Eve mentally shook herself, nope. She was not going to think like that.

Tom dived into the car. It was an old defender, so the back seats were sideways and had no seatbelts. Bags were piled up against the seats behind Eagle and Fox and the sideways seats were getting crammed. So as Tom struggled over the bags on the floor to his seat Eve watched Alex, he was looking around the car, almost surveying it. His eyes stopped on two black cars parked opposite him, both had blacked out windows and men in suits driving. Alex swore under his breath and followed Tom in; he climbed over the bags and sat opposite Tom. With more grace than the two boys Eve clambered in and sat next to Alex. Snake shut them in throwing in a couple of bags.

"Oh no…" Tom muttered.

"What?" Eve looked at him.

"We're stuck with Eagle again." He groaned, "He likes singing and moaning Alex told me."

The car journey was a fiasco, Fox drove in a way that implied he thought the car was a Ferrari! One very tense moment was when they went around a corner too fast and Alex fell on top of Eve, Alex couldn't quite help the smile stay of his face afterwards. She was a pretty girl and Alex couldn't quite stop smiling about the fact he had been on top of her. Tom had spent 5 minutes after conducting Eagle singing,

"Cub and Eve sitting in a tree, k.i.s.s.i.n.g."

And only when Eve pointed out that Eagle had landed on a teddy bear when one of the bags burst open did he shut up.

"Shhh." Fox pulled into a rough road, the tarmac was becoming patchy and bits of concrete were visible under the potholes. Eve and Tom gazed out the windows; Alex couldn't bring himself to take the looks of ecstasy of their faces. They were going to get a shock when they met the Sargent. Ahead a barrier, blocked their path. Eagle jumped out and spoke to the three men guarding, they each held machine guns. Tom's smile slid of his face at the sight,

"This isn't going to be fun… is it?" Alex shook his head,

"No, in fact it's going to be close to torture. Which, by the way, you will be put through." Alex looked at the floor, dismayed.

He was the reason these guys were going to be put through real torture, Tom looked thrilled to be put through torture, but the reaction Alex had made him question it.

"Alex?" Eve put her hand on Alex's shoulder, he flinched but didn't move it.

"You guys, and them don't understand. This isn't a play park, they're not gonna just give you detention, they will throw stuff and swear at you. They will bully you they don't care. This isn't a place where you can go running to the teacher, because the teacher is the one you are running from." Tom's smile had slid off his face, it was now slack with shock.

"So what do we do then?"

"Get over it, get hurt, dodge if you can. But never ever fight back."

The Land Rover pulled past the main block and over to a cabin. It was larger than the one Alex previously stayed in and had a corrugated roof, not wooden, the windows were also metal and the door had a handle and lock. They clambered out, Tom falling onto his face, and Alex opened the door.

9 metal bunk beds stood in the dimly lit room, each one had a shelf and small rough cupboard. All had three folded uniforms on them, a curtain stood at the middle separating 4 beds. The dim exposed light bulbs were dusty and only a few worked, and as Alex walked in clouds of dust jumped around his feet. Two brooms, a dusting rag and a mop and bucket stood in the corner, even more covered in dust than the rest. The mattresses were obviously new, they had no dust and had plastic covers on them, a pillow and a blanket were under each cover.

"Your mates are getting checked out by the gate, its going to be a couple of hours…."

"…HOURS!"

"Yes Tom, you guys are with us. They know your not enemies, they might be. Anyway, help us shove the bags inside and we will get you onto the course early. Let you practise first."

"Fox, why?"

"Look Cub, when your friends are here I'm sir. So are this one and the others. For now, and when you do training separately you can be normal but just remember that."

"Okay, but why are just these two doing half?"

"We think, well our lovely employers think, that they can handle it."

"Why not full?" Tom spoke up, kicking his foot and sending a cloud of dust into the air. "Woops."

"Because you two would die."

"Technically?" Eve didn't seem surprised, "Or metaphorically?"

"Really." Eagle smiled,

"Both or neither. But MI6 don't want to take the risk."

"We would really die?"

"This isn't a playground, what you are going to do is going to test you all. Well except him… He's been working out!" Eagle walked over to Alex and patted his solid stomach, and placed his hands on Alex's strong shoulders, "Cub, soon you will be stronger than us!"

"But he's Alex! He can do stuff, he is like a superhero."

"No I'm not. I'm…."

"CUB! Don't even start him on that one Tom, he goes on for ages…"

"Fine." Tom pouted in protest, eve giggled. The smile seemed alien on her face, because just like many others the massacre had scared her, making the smile fade until the memory was less fresh.

Most of Alex's class were like this.

The rest were doing what Tom was, hoping it was a bad dream. He tried to keep everyone up and going, but he and most people had bits where they still felt it hit them in the stomach.

The sound of the Sargent shouting brought Alex back to real life, he walked out in silence after Eve. Grabbing two bags from the middle of the car he hauled them into the hut.

They worked in silence, while Alex had zoned out somebody must have said something because everyone was down. A cloud had passed over their happiness.

_This is unfair on them._

Alex's head was going berserk, the regret of existing this long was weighing down on him again. His shoulders physically ached. But he kept on hauling, letting the physical exercise keep him alive. His chest hurt with the pounding of his heart, trying to escape his scared chest. Everything felt wrong, disorientated. He kept moving the bags, the others had stopped to have a conversation with Wolf.

Alex kept going.

His chest pounded, his head was in sync.

"No." He suddenly said, an urge to run, to escape caught him. Strangling him. So he ran. He ran toward the woods.

"Cub!" He could hear Fox's voice calling behind him.

"Alex?" Eve.

"CUB!" Wolf.

Alex just kept running. He didn't know why or where but he just knew running was what he had to do. The woods appeared around him, swallowing his damaged body. Alex weaved between the trees, the patches of brambles snagged at his legs, twigs flicking his back. Alex closed his eyes, running blindly through. One of his feet slipped on a rock.

Alex fell sideways into water. The cold paralysed him, freezing him. His eyes shot open. Instead of black and green woodland swallowing him it was murky greying water. Two bands or arms wrapped around his chest, pulling him upward.

But Alex's vision was gone, it was blackness. His head lolled and he passed out.

When he came around he could hear heavy breathing. A man's breathing. Alex opened his eyes, letting his breaths calm him down.

"What the fuck was that Alex!" Fox voice was both annoyed and worried.

"I…I." Alex rolled over his stomach howling and threw up. Fox stood up and crouched next to his now shaking figure.

Fox couldn't look at Alex, it made his stomach roll with anger at MI6. This boy was now not only physically but mentally scarred. A boy lay in front of him, his figure shaking in pain and shock.

"Alex." Fox had never spoken like this before, as if to a younger brother, "Hey, it's okay." He put his hand on Alex's shoulder. Alex's breaths were sharp and jagged; he could hear the boy crying.

"Ben, it's not. Don't lie." Alex's voice wasn't harsh, but it was cold. His speech was solid almost normal. Fox was struck about how calm he came across if you couldn't see him. Fox was hit by the fact Alex used his real name, he had told him to forget it, but he obviously had remembered. Alex pulled himself into sitting"Life is cruel and death is impatient. For all I know Jack could be dead by now, Scorpia could have slit her throat. Eve and the others could be under attack, people could be dying because of me right now. I can't win. If I get out alive I am ruined, haunted by my past and present."

"Is that what happened now?" Fox's voice was kinder than he was used to, but it seemed natural to him.

"I dunno, it just seemed to strangle me. Like the torture I was put through with Snakehead."

"You call torture a good simile!"

"No, but it's the closest thing I can think of in my life. Well apart from being covered in a pillow and attempted to be asphyxiated. But it wasn't like that, more like being strangled."

"So why did you run? And why were you in water?"

"I ran. I just had to run. When I was here my eyes got heavy so I closed them while I was running and I fell. It reminded me of Stormbreaker…." Alex threw up again, the wretches shaking his body. Fox did something he had never done before, he placed an arm around Alex's shoulders as he leant back into him, avoiding the fresh puddle. It wasn't sweet this, this was them.

They were more like brothers.

"Come on." Fox helped him up and back over to the water, Alex washed his face and washed off the front of his uniform. Fox let him do it. He sat back and looked out across the water. As Alex leant back something silver fell out of his pocket onto the damp floor, Alex scuttled to get it but Fox caught it first.

A gun. It was a beautiful gun. Silver with black accents, Rider was inscribed in black on the side with a small scorpion next to it. The other side was also inscribed, words….

"Number one after your father." Alex said, "That's what it says." Fox looked up at Alex, he looked normal again.

"Scorpia."

"Yeh, they taught me to shoot, gave me a gun and a mission."

"That was the Jones incident wasn't it."

"Yep." Alex stretched out his arm and took the gun, "I carry it around. I can't get rid of it, I need it to keep me sane. I reminds me good isn't far from bad and that I am bad, I am evil. But we are good evil."

"That, "Fox helped Alex to his feet, "Is more truth than I have ever heard from a teenager."

**A.N. Heeeelllllllooooooooo!**

**I am nicely rested now and I did have fun thank you Agent Potter for those wishes **

**Yes they have arrived! Woop woop. Now I really need some activites, I have a basic plan that I can follow but I bet you people have INFINATLY better ideas than my half braindead head. So REVIEW IDEAS! Stick them in a review as Fred normally reads my DM's for me (don't worry she is SO trustworthy and my total bestist friend it the entire world), so I will pick them up and if I like them, WHICH I ALMOST CEIRTAINLY WILL!, I will stick them in the story! **

**So review on mon amies!**

**George xx**


	6. Unmanagable

**So so sorry for the delay personal stuff happened and ahhhh!**

**This should be an okay chapter for tension, more a set up for later happenings in Alexworld!**

They walked back in silence, Alex casting sideways glances at Fox.

"Why did you come after me?" Alex stopped and pulled Fox back to the shadow of the trees just behind them.

"MI6 told me to make sure you're okay." Fox quickly improvised, "It's my job to follow you."

"I don't know how you are an agent, you're a terrible liar." Alex looked at Fox, he was nearly the same height as him and they both had the same brown, serious eyes that said,

_We have seen too much…_

"Fine, I followed you 'cause I needed to keep you alive or Jack might murder me." Fox looked at Alex again, his eyebrows were raised and he was looking un-impressed, "Okay! Okay! I followed cause I have I seen you do stuff not even Adults like me do. I know your life and I see you almost as if I need to look after you like a brother and I can't see you get hurt. Also I know what happened, I understand your pain and horror. I hate seeing what MI6 have done to somebody who could have lead a slightly tarred but whole life. They have ruined that chance of yours, you have two paths in life. Death or Hiding. I can't see somebody so much like myself suffer that."

Alex looked at fox sideways, he looked so much like a small child. Fox looked away thought's of his past flashing in front of him. "Did you say like a brother?"

Fox looked shocked at him, he had said it all very fast and the fact Alex had caught the tiny three words touched Fox at how love deprived he was that the affectionate word brother had caught his attention. "Yeh," he shrugged, "Well I sort of…"

He never got to finish his sentence, Alex hugged him and ran off into the distance.

Alex pushed open the door on his class's hut and saw the brush was being pushed around by a very annoyed Lily. Grace was throwing a cloth at the dust jammed windows knocking dust onto the floor. Alex edged between confused, angry and scared students. Kids with SAS jackets hanging off their shoulders, and trousers rolled up to their ankles. Alex slid next to Tom who was sitting with Dan and Eve on a bottom bunk.

"…..its gonna cause sh…. Hi Alex."

"Don't stop talking on my account, I have better things to do with my time than gossip."

"Like take drugs!" Cameron whispered in his ear, Alex ignored him. But since when was he a druggie?

"We were just saying that you're not popular right now to say the least. I mean nobody knows you anymore. For all we know you could be prepping for something despicable again right now."

"Welcome to my messed up life." Alex fell back onto the bed his hands over his eyes.

"Well it's your fault." Dan muttered, "You chose to get involved with drugs."

"What!?" Alex shot up, "Dan?"

"Well yeh, that's why your off so much isn't it? I mean I don't judge you or anything…"

"Dan…." Eve put a hand on his arm and he shrugged it off.

"Well that's is isn't it?"

"No!" Alex had become defensive, "No! No way. Get your nose out."

"I wasn't going to judge but your obviously high!"

"I AM NOT!"

"Lily, we need to tell him we have worked out his little secret." Dan stood up and beckoned Lily over; she dropped the broom and stalked over grinning in a pleased way. Alex looked at Tom who looked shocked and Eve who had her hands over her ears.

Alex looked at his watch, it had been 2 minutes since his last fiasco. And 12 hours since Tom and Eve's lives were turned upside down by him and his open mouth. Why could he had no kept it shut and protected them at least, even if that meant his death. Alex could feel anger at himself rising.

"Alex, don't insult our intelligence by acting deaf!" Lily screamed, she had obviously been yelling at him. The whole class was looking at him, standing in a rough circle in between the beds.

"I'm very sorry for thinking." Alex snarled, a few people stepped back but Lily just laughed hysterically.

"While your high on your drugs!"

"You don't understand Lily." Alex stood up, he could feel Tom trying to pull him down but Alex was too wound up. The underlying annoyance at the world was enough to make him irritable but this would make it even worse

"I understand more than you think Druggy Rider. Look this is the reason we are here to keep us safe from druggy. Is that why it all happened?"

"Lily No!" Tom warned.

"So it's your fault, a rival drug gang needed you out of the way…"

"No!" Alex shouted in her face, "You have no idea."

"YOU KILLED HOLLIE AND TYLER!" Lily screamed in Alex's face. Alex drew his gun and pointed it calmly at Lily.

"Say that again." Alex's voice was that harsh cold growl which even he didn't recognise. This was the Alex who MI6 had made, the dangerous, violent and un-predictable one. Alex could feel his heart pounding in his throat, he didn't know why he was pointing a loaded gun at her but he felt he needed to.

"You. Killed. Them. You got involved with Skoda and ended up in a drug gang, you and an enemy drug gang were in a fight and they came to finish you off. Them and the rest of the world wants you dead. So we were brought here to keep us safe from you and put you in rehab. Two birds one stone. You have that gun to protect yourself from those people, and so when your high… Bang."

Alex looked down at his hand holding the gun, suddenly an urge to shoot and drop the gun both fought to take hold, he dropped it and sprinted through the crowd and out of the door. The camp was being its normal self, men hauling stuff around, swearing, shouting and space. The muddy, down trodden ground had patchy grass and moss creating a blanket of dirt. It was clear that is wasn't a place of relaxation, the main building and hospital's grubby bricks had bits missing that showed fights and gun fire. The large green area behind the hut had men laughing and joking on it, the forest was a shocking backdrop to the green, it was dark and foreboding, with brambles crawling out. Reminded Alex of the water in his childhood dreams. Sighing he watched a group of 4 men flip themselves over and under the gruelling obstacle course. Another four ran out of the woods with bags on their backs and started to jog back to another four men who all stood up at the sight of them. Five men were standing at the range, all of them firing at tiny targets, one man jumped up and down and high fived his friend and both looked at the other man who shouted and they continued work. 12 men were all stood around the sergeant, Alex heard his name and frowned. Fox looked up and caught Alex's eye, winking he shot a look up at the roof of a barn near the circle and Alex understood.

Walking casually over to the ramshackle building he saw a slightly dodgey climbing route upwards, beginning to scale he saw a broken slat above him and shaking a bar near him he dislodged it and cleared his path up. Alex felt better doing something, he knew his response earlier was because of his lack of action and built up of energy. Smiling he leaned out of a window near the circle, he could hear the flat tones of the Sargent perfectly.

"They are not an excuse men, they are training for us too. Work on interpersonal skills and working with… children." He sounded disgusted as he said the word, "Well that is all men, dismissed. Fox I need a word. I am letting you keep an eye on Cub, you need to make sure that the class has no idea of his identity and thinks he isn't able to do normal activities. Also make sure he stays out of trouble, he has skills my men aren't able to cope with and therefore will be able to get away with things and get places others won't. Please keep him out of normal trainings way."

"Shall I get him now sir?"

"Please do." The Sargent cast a look to the hut.

"Alex, get out of the window now. And avoid out heads, we need them." Fox grinned up at Alex's face and watched as he lowered himself out of the window.

"Fox, that is what I mean." The Sargent marched off towards the men in the range.

"How come you are outside?"

"I nearly shot Lily." Fox hadn't been expecting that, he looked over to the hut and saw Charlie, Tom and Eve looking around for Alex, Eve held the gun like it was poisonous.

"Guys!" Fox yelled, "He is over here and causing trouble all ready." Alex heard thumping feet and saw them fly around the corner, all three breathing heavily Eve held out the gun and Alex took it, tucking it neatly into his pocket.

"Alex, what was that? You were fine, then you nearly shot Lily, then you vanished!"

"I was going to shoot her but I had a…. I was just annoyed and because of other stuff I reacted wrong." Alex glanced at Charlie and sighed, "I'm sorry I can't say anything Charlie. I promise you, NO.1 you don't want to know, NO.2 you could know in time."

"Alex, these two told me that I can't know but I have a reason. So I trust you but can I ask one thing?"

"Sure." Alex cast a glance at Fox who scowled.

"Are you on drugs?"

"No, trust me." Charlie nodded and the four of them laughed at Fox's annoyed expression.

**So what'd yar tink? (translation, what did you think? ;) )**

**Keep the reviews coming, and keep happy people of the fandom! **

**George xx**


	7. PAINTBALL

Alex sat outside the hut with Charlie and the other two for a long time, there was one very good moment when after 5 minutes of sitting in silence Charlie turned round to Eve, breathed deeply and asked,

"Will you go out with me?" He looked sheepish and when Eve grinned and hugged him his face broke into a delighted smile. The pair of them slid inside to tell the others, Alex let the fake smile he had been holding on his face fall off.

"I am so jealous it's cruel." He snarled, and when Tom looked shocked he clarified, "Not in that way, as in they can have a happy life. Scorpia isn't after Eve yet, you could find life hard for a while but I have no chance."

"You mean I can never have a family and stuff…" Tom looked shocked, "I just want you to be alive and me to be nearby to help. Stuff families, no time for it."

"Really?" Alex looked over at his best friend; all Tom had ever wanted to be was a footballer, not a spy, not an outcast. Yet here he was saying that he would drop everything to stick by his best friend who was lost in life.

"Yeh." Tom sounded defiant and Alex grinned like the happy couple had.

"No smiling aloud here Cub, you need to meet your class trainers and give them some…hints…." Eagle leaned on the wall and grinned, "N-Unit are a little over exited for my liking."

"Sir, why is Alex called Cub?" Tom asked, he was so polite Eagle was taken aback. But he composed himself long enough to answer.

"Because he came here before his first ever mission, he was in our Unit. We don't use names, we use codes. He was Cub. We are gonna try not to talk to him if possible, cause we only know him as cub." Eagle then vanished in fits of laughter at Tom's face which had gone slack with shock at Alex's coming here before, "Anyway, they are in the briefing hall. Sergeant is waiting for you."

Eagle jogged back over towards the brick building and slid through the door, "Coming? You will have to be silent and stay in the corner." Tom nodded and followed as Alex headed towards the door.

"Cub." The Sergeant called, "We need your help."

"Yes sir." Alex nodded and with a tiny hand motion pointed to a corner and Tom hid in it, "What do you need sir."

Tom stared as Alex became a solider; he was straight backed, sharp and neat. His emotionless flat voice and perfect posture and salute made Tom smile, Alex was a perfect boy for these guys. Perfect solider.

"Cub, please give hints to the K, N and B Unit on working with your classmates. We need to know basic information that isn't on their school reports and national databases."

"Yes sir, First I need to know groupings and set up as each Unit will have a different needs child or character." A man behind the Sergeant passed Alex a piece of browning paper, "Thank You. Now, K- Unit, you have the easiest group as I will be getting different training so all you have to organise is where Me, Eve and Tom will be at certain times. Unit-B you will have a difficult group, but if this list is correct Wolf will help you. Leon has anger problems and is unpredictable, Harry is his sidekick almost and will follow whatever he does. Matthew is intelligent, very, and will be able to make decisions and follow his instinct well. Grace and the other girl are idiots and will flirt with you, they are also obsessed with me, well were before I became a druggie. Finally, N-Unit Cameron has a difficult background and is very cocky, but they should be an easy group."

"Thank you Cub." Alex saluted and walked back into line next to Eagle, "Dismissed!" All 13 men turned, saluted and marched off. Tom hid in the middle and snuck out. Outside they were all mingling and talking, Tiger was talking to Alex about his fight and the good bruise on his cheek.

"CUB!" Fox called, "WE ARE GETTING THE MAGGOTS TO DO PAINTBALLING FIRST. WHAT DO WE NEED TO KNOW?"

"THEY WILL PROBABLY AIM FOR YOU, THEY DON'T LIKE YOU!"

"OKAY!" Fox and Eagle walked over to the hut. As Alex and Tom approached they could hear Fox shouting, "You will be doing paintballing SAS Style now, now all get dressed…"

"MAGGOTS!" Eagle hollered, "You will listen to us when we are talking! Fox."

"Now get dressed and sort out your failures of uniforms." The two of them stormed out looking very angry, but once the door closed they burst out laughing. The other men started to laugh too, "This is going to be fun." Fox muttered to Alex.

The class filed out onto the mud, Wolf went along sorting out bits of uniform while Fox spoke to Alex.

"All you gotta do is shoot all of them without them noticing. They will be forced to retire if they are shot, but get them all in under 30 minutes and you don't have to do A Route this evening."

"Great thanks Fox," Alex rolled his eyes and took the gun and counted bullets, enough for all of his class and one extra, "Is this for Eagle?"

"Got my gist in one." Fox winked and walked off.

They all trouped into the woodland in silence to a small hut where everyone was given a bullet proof vest in one of two colours, and a gun with the same colour pellets as there vest. As Wolf explained the rules Alex slipped out of the back entrance and loaded his gun, he knew he wouldn't get shot and that the two groups would be dead before they knew it. Their vests turned white when they got shot so had to go back to the hut, it was a basic test of skill, knowledge and logic. Because the class didn't know the hut was on an island in the middle of a local river, it had fake water mines and tiny signals to their whereabouts and had a wild Cub who was alive with the thought of a simple fight and an opportunity to get them all back. He heard clattering from inside the hut and looked for a nearby tree to scale, using a rope that somebody had discarded he climbed up and hauled the rope up after him. He pointed the gun down at the entrance,

"Cub, please let them live more than one second." Bear's annoyed voice came through the intercom on Cub's jacket, "And the rope wasn't just for you, let a decently clever person find it instead. I recommend you cross the river, their guns will only work over there and remember you can't be detected, so you need to be shooting them where others could be too. So cross the working boundary and you might get away with it."

Alex scowled, they had to make it hard for him by only letting the 'Maggots' guns work OVER the river. Oh well, he looked across the top of the trees and saw a path he could just about climb and jump across using the rope. He made it to the river I quick time, he could hear his class mates being let out in the distance, some people running others trying to fire and nothing coming out. Alex dropped down behind a tree and took a run up jump onto a rock in the middle of the river and grabbed a large metal pole from the river bed and vaulted the rest. It wasn't as neat as he thought and heard a large splash where his feet landed and two clear footprints appeared. But he didn't have time to clear them,

"Cub, No.1 that was appalling and No.2 the class have been told somebody is out to get them, they know somebody is after them and will be looking for signs, be alert." Puma's voice cut over Bears drone and cackled, "One in the river already, this Harry kid isn't clever!" Alex heard Harry curse and saw the mud about 5 seconds later, he needed to get out of sight. He saw an easy tree to climb and scaled it and by crawling along the branch he got onto a difficult tree and easy hide.

"5 Minutes Cub!" Bear drawled, "Oh and Eggy said I wasn't to help you so just to spite him I say stick there and take out a few before circling the river. Snake reckons it's going to take at least 10 min for the fastest of them to get across."

Alex quickly turned his mic off as he heard a voice nearby, from his tree he could see a group of blue's standing in the river. He saw Matthew and a couple of idiots, Matthew would see pretty fast the marks, Alex had to get him out before he noticed him. Grabbing a nearby branch he snapped it and threw his voice to a few meters away. They all looked that way.

"It's him!" Cameron said, "Wait no? That sounded like Leon…"

"Leon!" Emily squealed, then without notice Alex shot Matthew, Cam and Emily in the chests. They all swore and the others scattered.

"That was too close, up your game Cub." Bear grinned down the intercom.

"I had to get Matthew out, he is too observant."

"Okay, you had your reasons, you just need to up your game. Fox says Leon, Harry, Dom, Danny and Charlie have crossed."

"Where are Tom and Eve?"

"They are sitting like ducks in the middle of the river where you crossed." Alex switched off the voice and looked under a branch to where he crossed, sure enough the two of them stood on the rock looking bemused. Alex could hear footsteps behind them, Alex owed these two a humane fall from the game. He shot both of them clearly in the chest, Tom scowled and Eve swore before falling in the river. Tom looked up from the paint to see three boys walking over about to shoot, Tom raised his gun and Alex shot all three of them. Tom looked shocked but they didn't notice that he wasn't the one who shot.

"Back to base boys! Tom called and jumped back onto the island and Eve and the others followed him back to base.

"That was good Cub." Bear was smiling, Alex could hear it, "20 minutes left."

Alex sat in silence in his tree for a little while before a gaggle of female voices could be heard.

"Ryan keep up and don't turn evil on us, we are only 5 innocent girls." They stopped at the bottom of Alex's tree and Ryan raised his gun to turn evil on them Alex shot all five in the back. They spun around to see who shot them, saw Ryan's gun raised and Lily was about to shoot when Alex shot him.

"Wow these really shoot easily don't they!" Lily seemed shocked as she lead them back the way they came.

"Cub, that was impressive even if it was fluke. The last three are being tactful, they are all alone and all good. Keep aware." Alex slid down his tree a bit to look around, he could just hear Lily's leaving footsteps when a quick pair underneath him caught his attention. Alex knew he had a few seconds before the excuse of Ryan shooting him wouldn't be valid Alex threw caution to the wind and became visible for a second to shoot Dan as he counted his pellets. Dan looked up saw Ryan's retracting back and screamed,

"That's cheating!", and ran after them.

Two left. Alex climbed out of his tree and ran and dived into a bush. He could now hear two pairs of feet approaching his spot, both of them at once.

"Who's there?" Charlie called,

"I could ask the same?" Ben called from behind a tree. Both boys showed themselves at the same time and raised their guns to face each other. Alex knew what he had to do, he loaded his gun twice so it had two bullets ready he fired one way and then the other very quickly so it looked like they shot each other. They both looked at their chests looked up and nodded before shaking hands and agreeing they drew. Then they walked off towards to the hut. Alex followed and quickly shot himself in the chest to make it seem somebody shot him, sadly he wouldn't be able to shoot Eagle.

He got back just before Ben and Charlie, muttering how he got lost he slid into a seat next to Fox who looked at Alex's chest and smiled.

"That was good thinking, who shot you?"

"I make Tom say he did." Alex grinned as Tom moved next to him, "Hey mate, you shot me didn't you?"

"What….yeh.. Did sorry…" Tom grinned at Alex, who winked.

"Oh and by the way, I was the one who shot everyone."

"Damn you Alex!" Tom whispered.

"Well at least I didn't really shoot anybody."

"Yeh we don't need any more Ribena to clean up." Fox giggled.

**Yolo gueeeeeezzzzzz**

**I am on School Break at the moment so should (fingers crossed) be able to update more regularly. This wasn't a particularly fulfilling chapter but it is the start of training and sets up the levels for students. And attitudes. And most importantly RELATIONSHIPS! **

**Keep the 'must improves' and 'could be better ifs...' coming and review!**

**George xx**


	8. Them

Alex followed the class back to the hut, trailing behind the rest who sent him evil glances. Alex didn't care, he could feel anger bubbling inside him. He knew that Wolf was being stupid but he couldn't help it, Wolf had pulled him back at the end to tell him he was being sloppy. That Fox had been following him and he had never noticed to shoot him. Alex had snapped back that Fox was a fully trained Agent and SAS guard, if he didn't want to be noticed, he wouldn't be noticed. Wolf had shouted him down telling him he was sloppy and that he would meet him by the main building tonight for practice. It was already evening, the sun was low in the sky, so Alex would have minutes before he would be back out again.

Alex scowled at the thought, an extra hour with Wolf.

"You okay Alex?"

"uh huh."

"Alex?"

"What?" Alex snapped and looked up to face Eve who looked hurt.

"I was only asking if…."

"No I'm not, I never am. BUT WHO FUCKING CARES!" Alex turned his back on Eve and stopped; he heard her retreating feet and closed his eyes. He shouldn't have said it, and could feel guilt rise up in him. But it wasn't real guilt, it was the un-humane guilt he had gained from MI6.

He heard Fox calling Eve and Tom, he didn't even turn around to see anything. He sat down in the middle of the field and lay on his back, staring at the stars.

He closed his eyes,

'I'm safe!' He thought, 'I can finally relax.'

That's when the metal thing hit his head and everything went black.

...

...

...

...

..

"When he comes around we can find out." A male voice snarled by Alex's ear, "Ah, our guest is here!" Something moved by Alex's ear. Alex's head was full of white noise from the impact, his head and body hurt from being knocked unconscious.

"No, leave it. We need to test first. What is your name boy?" Another man's voice, Alex tried to move, his hands were tied to a board and his eyes and mouth covered. "WHAT IS YOUR NAME!?" The man yelled again. Alex couldn't see, he felt his heart rate rise. What was going on? He used to be safe? They got him again, they got him. Alex brain froze with fear. Trying to clear his head and give himself time he lied

"Daniel." Alex struggled to mutter from under the cover, "Daniel Tortious." Alex felt something disappear from beneath his feet and water surrounded him.

Alex tried to struggle free but his hands and feet were stuck. His vision blackening he felt all the air leave his lungs. He stopped thrashing but his pounding head filled with blood as he tried to think. But the crushing water broke his thoughts with flashes of light behind his eyes. He wanted to scream but his head was fully submerged, suddenly he surfaced. Breathing heavily he heard their voices again,

"So, you think you can outsmart us? What is your name?!"

"Alex Rider." Alex coughed, his head still pounding.

"Ah, him." A man laughed, "Why are you here?"

"I'm not..." Alex felt something hot press against his arm and he screamed, it vanished but the searing pain didn't, "You took…." On the other arm. Alex struggled and screamed, his vision getting darker.

"They sent you didn't they?"

"No…" Alex felt hard blows hit his ribcage and face. He bit his tongue, trying not to react, he still couldn't help the flinching. Alex tried to say yes but he was re-submerged in water. His burns stung in the ice, his brain started to hurt, his eyes felt heavy.

"TALK RIDER!"

"But I don't…." Punch, burn, punch, punch, "….know…." Burn, submerge…..

Alex came up after the third submerge. He felt played, damaged. He could see scenes of his past playing under the cloth over his eyes. His heart started to pound, trying to escape his chest. Alex could feel something pressing on him even though nothing was there. He wanted, needed, to escape but he couldn't move. His head hurt, his throat ached from the screams. His arms, legs, chest and head hurt with the pain of torture.

"Oh please boy." Alex lay limply, his body burnt and damaged, he felt dizzy and ill. But he was still conscious. Suddenly a ripping sound and the bandages holding Alex's head down fell off, he could see and breath. He breathed deeply, opening his eyes. The room was dark, the only window dark too. Three men stood in balaclavas, all in black leather gear. The room was full of dust and a fire stood with a poker in it, Alex was suspended above a pool of muddy grey water. The floor was muddy and mad patches of moss, it reminded Alex of the SAS ground. Alex suddenly had an urge to scream again, out of horror of betrayal. Ash had betrayed him, now had the SAS, they had let him be taken. Was Fox asleep? Wolf given up? Snake uncaring? Eagle snoring unconcerned that the fifth member of K-Unit was missing, broken and hurt.

"Need some persuasion?" A man looked at Alex and nodded to his friend, both men left the room and re-entered with a bag. In it a struggling human, a small person. The canvas was wriggling, bits moving and punching, female grunts of annoyance left the bag. One man lifted the poker and pressed it into the bag.

Alex heard her scream, Eve. Alex struggled against the ropes binding him, "EVE!" He cried, the man removed the poker and held it to Alex's arm. Alex stopped moving and screamed again.

"I know nothing!" Alex cried in pain, tears streamed down his face, mixing with the water droplets on his face. His mind was flashing with the thoughts of others, Eve screamed again. The bag writhing. Then a bullet fired, the screaming stopped instantly and a large pool of red oozed from the bag. He dropped it at his feet and kicked it against the wall. A human was in that bag, dead, but still there. She had nothing to them. Alex felt his anger rise, and his panic, he had to get out!

"Next." The man said, like a panel show host. Another bag, another person.

Another scream.

"ALEX! ALEX HELP ME! YOU'RE THE ONLY ONE THAT CAN HELP! ALEX!" Tom's screams filled Alex's battered head.

"Sorry, he must die. He is annoying me."

Alex looked away as a shot fired, and the blood soaked the bag. He had lost all his fight, suddenly like a plug being pulled. It swirled away, Alex felt bile rise in his throat and felt a man untie him. He slumped over the pool and into a pile on the floor next to the bags containing Eve and Tom.

"If only i hadnt shot the woman." The man sighed, "She could have been more use."

Jack wad dead.

"He is useless now." A man kicked him while he was on the floor, Alex didn't feel the pain. He just felt loss. Fox had left him, Fox had called to them. Fox would be next, Alex would never get to say goodbye. The man kicked him again and Alex slumped further onto the floor.

Jack, Tom, Eve.

"Kill him."

His Uncle.

"No let the horrors get to him. Let him live."

His Mum and Dad.

A man drew a knife and pulled it across Alex's forehead leaving a shallow cut. It stung and hurt but Alex couldn't tell, the blood and tears mixed together on the floor at the bottom of the mans boot.

Alex blacked out again.

..

...

...

...

...

The grass was wet from over night dew, but Alex couldn't tell. He lay on the floor in the exact spot he had been found, completely unconscious. His head had blood trailed down the cheek, it mixed with mud and tear trails. His arms were red and had many blisters from the heat that had been applied to them, the dark bruises spread up his arms like an odd tattoo. His hair was still wet and stuck to his forehead. Next to him a bottle had been placed in his hand. Full of a dark liquid that was almost the colour of Ribena. The bottle had the label on it and next to the franchise was a small scorpion.

Alex sat up suddenly, his eyes shooting open.

And he screamed.


	9. Unwatchable

Fox scowled and paced backwards and forwards in the cabin, the floorboards creaked under him and the beds clattered. Somebody banged on the door and without waiting fell inside,

"Have you…"

"Where is…."

"….Alex."

"….Alex!"

Tom and Eve stood in the door, both out of breath and in completely good health. Outside the dark was complete and the stars were shining faintly, if Fox wasn't so agitated he might have enjoyed the view.

"Snake, what time is it?"

"Add three onto the last time you asked Fox."

"1:17 then. Why aren't you two asleep?"

"Why aren't YOU?" Fox looked at their worried faces and went outside onto the small deck with them. Sitting down he began to explain.

"Alex is currently being put through torture, complete but not deadly. It's carried out on all of us, to make sure we don't give away secrets if we are ever put though it outside of here. D-Unit are trained professionals and will make sure he doesn't die. But it could affect him mentally, he could be very jumpy and downright scared tomorrow. I will be staying around him all day to follow him if he bolts like the first day here."

"How come everyone here doesn't keep running and hiding?" Eve looked pale in the moonlight and her face was dark from lack of sleep.

"Because most of these men rarely see real action, this Unit has and couple of others. But most never see friends die, never have to lie to people and get tortured on a monthly basis. Also nobody else here is a spy. They can be open about where they go and get help to cope with it. Alex only has me, and I get dragged out too."

"You're a spy too!"

"Yes, but I was 20 when I became one, not 14. Yes, I bolted and I would act wrong. But I have learnt to cope with it, I don't know how much longer we have with Alex to try and teach him how to cope before he leaves us. Either on his terms or somebody else's." Fox looked at his damaged hands and remembered how Alex had hugged him on the first day here, how he had seen too much yet still survived. Looking up at Eve and Tom he saw how both of their faces were shocked with what he had said, Eve hadn't even brushed the tear away that clung to her cheek. They didn't choose to be thrown into this world either, they were going to be ruined, tainted by torture and held by a thread over everyone, unable to tell people things that would burn away their insides.

"How can we help him?" Tom's voice was sturdier than Fox had expected, "Because we are stuffed now too, we might as well fight it together. See if together we can all survive, I mean, there are three of us. That's 33% of the blame and horror for each of us."

"Sir, what do we do?" Eve sounded like she was asking a Maths question, not how to save somebodies life.

"Well, I'm no genius and I have never been here before. But stick by his side, whether he wants it or not. Don't chase him or fight him, leave that to me, but emotionally stay by him and keep him safe. And pay attention here, they could save your life one day."

They all sat in silence for some time, the stars above them twinkling then they saw movement in a tiny shed some distance away, the light was turned off and everything stopped.

"Please don't watch this guys, its not…."

"No. We will stay, we need to see."

"You'll regret that." Fox muttered as he heard a man yell.

"What is your name?" It was faint and if the wind had been blowing any other way he wouldn't have heard it, Alex's torture was happening. He had come around. Silence for a couple of minutes then a splashing sound.

"Is that water? Are they drowning him?"

"I think the idea is to scare him, but it will freak him completely thanks to Stormbreaker." Silence again, Fox could hear Eve breathing deeply trying to stay calm and wanted to comfort her, but this needed to be learnt alone. How to withstand seeing others in pain.

Suddenly a scream from a boy reached them, it was like they were hearing it through foam, muffled by the space and wind, but still painful. Another scream, Tom covered his ears trying to block it out.

"Are they really hurting him? Or like you did to us, make us scream so you could use it… No. No. You used our screams from earlier where you said it was so you could match pitches to track us."

"Yes Eve, you two are soon going to die. And I can tell you Alex will be very happy to see you tomorrow."

They heard another scream that was cut off by a splash. Eve curled up into a ball and Tom placed a hand on her shoulder to comfort her. His face was also chalky white, his eyes dark and lost in horror. It turned quiet for some time, they heard the door open then close and then they heard Eve scream. Eve looked at Fox her face suddenly slack with shock, she heard Alex scream her name and then just scream. Alex sounded destroyed; Fox couldn't even comprehend what he was going through. Then 'Eves' screaming stopped as a gun was fired. The real eve began to sob, standing up she went to run and Fox grabbed her around the middle and pulled her down.

"Eve, this will save Alex's life some day."

"Alex! Alex help me! You're the only one that can help! Alex!" Tom's voice was carried through now, Tom shrunk back and looked shocked as another bullet was fired. No noise from Alex, did Alex care less about him? Then a final sounding thump made Tom recoil, had Alex died?

"Is he…"

"Yes but he is mentally damaged. After you 'died' he probably lost the will to fight and just let go."

A couple of men left the hut and looked over at Fox, they jogged over pulling off balaclava's.

"He is unconscious. After the boy died he just fell apart, we cut him free and he slid off the board onto the floor. We kicked him a few times and cut his forehead gently and he blacked out. He has bruising and three burns but he will be okay. We avoided the wound for you." They nodded at Fox who nodded back, then they ran off.

Eve yawned, "Will he be okay?" her face was regaining colour and her adrenaline was falling.

"Yes, now go to bed." Fox helped them up and chivvied them towards the hut. They left without much argument.

Fox looked over at the hut, the memories flooding back.

_Flashback_

He struggled against the men holding his arms and feet, the man laughed and raised a knife.

He screamed again, blood trailing down his face mixing with the mud and water. One man laughed,

"Oh pretty boy, please. Just tell us why they sent you and we let you live, otherwise you may not be as lucky." They let him go, Fox fell to the ground his Redish hair falling across his face. He felt kicks hit his sides and tried to stand but they pushed his head underwater. Fox pushed himself up just to be forced in again.

Fox lay on his side, letting the kicks break his rib.

_End flashback_

Fox ran a hand over his hat that he always wore around people, it hid his red-brown hair; he was 24 and looked about 40. He had seen too much and was letting it attack him from inside. He needed to take his own advice, let his outside show his real self. He pulled his hat off and shoved it in his pocket, a floppy fringe a lot like Alex's fell over his eyes. Fox smiled, he was being himself again. Sitting against his hut he closed his eyes and fell asleep.

**That should have cleared things up for people! I love Fox dunno , so I decided to have a slightly more childish side to him. A more human side...**

**Oh well, tell me what you think **

**Forge xx**


	10. Lessons

Alex curled up on the ground, his throat hurt from the scream; he started to shake again but didn't throw up. Tears flowed down the paths carved in the mud on his face. The blood had clotted on his head but the burns on his arms hurt. He didn't know where he was and how he was here but his entire existence hurt,

'They are all dead, because of me.' Alex started to sob. They racked his body causing him to physically move, he didn't care.

"Alex?" A man's voice called, "Alex?!" Footsteps approached him and crouched behind him. Alex was oblivious, all he could hear was his heart and his thoughts.

'Fox doesn't care. He didn't come find me when I was taken. He won't find me now.'

"Alex!" Fox placed a hand on Alex's shoulder, Alex's entire body flinched away and Fox saw large purple bruises where he had put his hand. "Alex listen to me, it is Fox here."

"Don't lie, you're not Fox. He doesn't give a damn, he is at SAS while I am here. You are one them, you are one of them, you will kill Fox to hurt me as he is the only one left, you are one of them." Alex's sobbing became more violent.

"Alexander Rider, Birthday 13th February, Age 15, Recruited by Alan Blunt after being blackmailed, Part of K-Unit nicknamed Cub, Best Friend Tom Harris, Carer Jack Starbright, Fellow spy and person who has followed you and cares about you Ben Daniels." Alex's sobbing was subsiding, "I am Fox, Alex. My name is Ben Daniels and I am 21 years old, my birthday is the 10th June, I am also an MI6 agent, I am Part of K-Unit and sleep on the fourth bed, My Best Friend is Eagle, otherwise known as William Broncharts, I have no parents and no official carer, I am your fellow spy and the person I care most about is a small blonde boy called Alex Rider." Alex stopped shaking.

"Fox?"

"Yes?"

"How did you find me? Where am I? Where are Eve and Tom's bodies…." Alex supressed another sob, Fox was here, he had found him. He was safe now. Alex rolled over and looked up at Fox. Pulling himself upright Alex gazed at him, he looked younger without his hat and much more alive with the dark red fringe covering his forehead.

"You're sitting in the field outside SAS camp, Eve and Tom are asleep. Both were very worried about you. You were in the small hut over there with B-Unit, it was torture training. Not real torture, everyone is fine." Fox sat down next to Alex who curled up into a ball.

"I remembered things Ben, I remembered bad memories. And I woke up with this…" Alex showed the bottle to Fox who opened it, sniffing the contents he smiled.

"Fake blood, nice touch. And this, "He pointed to the scorpion, "Is Scorpions sign, he is in B-Unit. Everyone has a little sign they use just to make a point. Don't worry your safe Alex."

"Ben, what do I do now? I mean I'm stuffed, I can join the SAS or I can die basically." Alex sighed and wiped the blood out of his eye, looking at his hand he saw how much dirt and blood came off.

"I say, finish your business. You have two people who came to me saying how can they help. They want to be with you Alex. They want to keep you safe. But right now, get clean, you're disgusting." Fox smirked and helped Alex up he faltered for a few steps but walked to the showers without much of a problem. As Alex cleaned off Fox slid down the wall and fell back asleep.

Alex looked down at his stomach as he washed. The defined muscles were hidden by bruises from one night, today would be hell. He washed his hair, ignoring the stinging cut on his head, and cleaned around his wound. Walking outside he looked at Fox asleep on the floor. Expressionless he looked his age, no wrinkles wrapped around his face and his hair across his face. Alex had never seen him without his hat and it made him seem more human, younger and free. Alex also slid down the wall and soon fell asleep too.

It was Snake who found them, he had always been an early riser and went to take a shower. Instead he found two boys, as Fox looked like one, asleep together. Snake left them as he showered and woke them up on the way out,

"Boo." He whispered in Fox's ear, Fox's arm shot out and punched Snake, his eyes wide open he readied himself for another attack before seeing Snake winded. Alex was also on his feet his stance was such of one ready to run. Snake shook himself, why did he pick on two fully trained spies?

Alex looked around, he had heard a sudden noise and the world was spinning and he didn't understand what was going on. He had been peaceful and then he got hit, then he was put though turmoil, then he was scared again, then unconscious, then calm and now the sudden noises were back and what was going on!

"Alex! Come back to us…" Fox stood in front of Alex waving his hand in front of Alex's face. Alex blinked and stood up again. Mentally shaking himself he looked at Snake who looked shocked at Alex's forehead.

"How'd you do that?"

"Torture training…." Alex muttered, he gulped the memory of those two body bags, "I need to see…."

"No you don't, you're coming with us." Fox stated, "I'm keeping an eye on you."

Walking around the building they saw Eagle and Wolf entering the hut, some yelling and they walked out looking pleased. They walked over, Eagle bounced to Snake and started talking about timing and how the maggots were in for a shock. Wolf looked shocked at Fox for a second and walked over,

"I forget how young you are, and how scarily alike you two are." Fox smiled and pulled on his hat making his young face become older and more mature. He set his mouth in a hard line, like the man Alex first met. Wolf smirked, "The maggots have been given 5 minutes to get up, then we are sending Eagle in to cause chaos."

"ALEX!" A girl screamed from behind Wolf, Alex peered around him to see Eve and Tom sprinting across the ground towards them. Alex looked at them run, confused, they were dead?

"It wasn't real Alex, two soldiers in those bags with fake blood." Fox muttered in Alex's ear, "They were sitting with me listening to it, but I would mind out. A female bomb is flying this way." Fox stepped aside as Eve hit Alex hard, hugging him so hard he couldn't breathe. Eagle giggled and Snake hit him.

"Alex, why are you still here? I would have got away from hell by now!" Eve stepped away looking at Alex in shock, "Your face!"

"It's nothing. Trust me it doesn't hurt, you might want to go and make sure your boyfriend understands though. He looks a little confused." Eve sent a shocked look at Alex's bravery and ran off to talk to Charlie who had appeared from the hut looking baffled. Tom turned to Alex,

"You okay?"

"Yeh, I'm alive."

"Good." Tom looked at Alex and remembered how last night had screamed about Eve but had been silent as he screamed. Betrayal must have welled up in his eyes cause Alex looked confused.

"You okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine." Tom smiled and walked off towards Dan. Alex stood bemused, he had seen something in Tom when he had said 'good'. It looked like betrayal, but Alex couldn't tell how he was betrayed. Shaking himself he followed over to where the class was congregated,

"Today you will be catching up on your studies with one of your teachers, follow him please." Eagle pointed to a figure flanked by two soldiers, Mr Alacris. The class groaned, they had been here one day and already work! The class trailed into the cafeteria and all sat down in their normal groups, although for once Alex was alone. Everyone else was sitting in groups being handed books and talking animatedly, Alex sat by himself at the end of one of the long tables. Opening the book given to him he started to work, it was easy. He felt something fall over his shoulder, pikcing the small bit of paper up Alex read it.

Upi plsu?

Scribbling a hurried response Alex bent his head over his work, _If James jumped off the wall over Tom and Fred where would he land? _The little diagram showed a boy jumping off a ridiculously high wall over his two friends that obviously had dwarfism. Alex marked the spot and then annotated the margine.

He wouldn't land, he would fall from that height

Why are the friends there?

How did he get up a 24m vertical wall?

The small note fell again,

Upi mrrf yjr ;pp fpmy upi?

Alex smiled and raised his hand,

"Sir, can I go to the toilet?"

"Yes Alex but come back." Alex jumped up and walked out. He met Eagle and Fox outside the doorway and snake snuck up behind and jump scared Eagle.

Tom looked over at the door as Alex left, he smiled as he left and grinned at the SAS men and walked off laughing and joking. Tom scowled, Alex had the best of everything. Brains, body, friends and he could get any girl he liked. He could do anything he liked after spying.

But there wasn't an 'after spying'. There was just death or hiding, Alex was going end up dead. How could Tom hate him for not screaming when he could have just seen Alex for the last time?

But he didn't scream? Why though? He needed to find out? D-unit, he needed to find D-Unit.

"Sir, I don't feel well."

"Oh please, if you come back at the same time as Rider I won't be impressed. Who knows where the…."

"I do, I know where the medical tent is!" Eve stuck her hand in the air.

"Please take Mr 'ill' there then please Miss." Eve stood up and walked over to Tom and helped him up, the pair of them exited the tent and started towards the medical area but stopped.

"Why are you leaving?"

"Why are YOU following me?"

"Because I saw you being snappy to Alex, so wanted to know why. Now I think you're going to find Snake or Fox and find out."

"Yes, I am. But not Snake or Fox, D-Unit. They tortured Alex, they know what happened when they shot 'me'. Because we heard Alex scream about you, he didn't seem to even move for me. Why doesn't he suddenly care?"

"Okay." Eve pointed to a hut with 'D' stamped on the door. She ran over and gestured for Tom to follow, scrambling after he looked at the door with hesitation. Eve knocked, a man opened the door he looked annoyed. He had brown frizzy hair and a fluffy beard, his face set in straight lines.

"What?"

"D-Unit right?"

"That's on the bloody door."

"We need your help, we have ran away from lesson to find out what happened at Alex's torture last night?"

"Ran away?" The man smiled slightly, "Alex, that's Cub right? Sure, you guys can even experience it if you like?"

"Thank you," Eve said politely, "Sir."

"Oy, guys. Some maggots wanna know about the Cub shit we did last night." Few men appeared behind him.

"Sure, follow us." A younger man said, he walked off and Eve and Tom glanced at each other and followed. Half running, half walking they followed him through a door into a tiny shed.

Eve stepped in a puddle, bringing her foot up she saw strings of it sticking to her shoe, "I hope this is Ribena." She frowned at the floor.

**Sorry for anybody who read that and was like WTF!**

**I uploaded the wrong Doc accidentally and was a poop and didn't realise. This is the real one and makes sense, to the story...**

**Review and follow for updates **

**George xx**


	11. Realisations

Eve shivered at the ghostly shapes filling the room, two men pushed behind Tom who moved forward. A cylinder shape was in the middle of the room, the windows were so grimy even bright sun was barely seen though them. A shelf sparkled on the wall and with a start Eve realised they were guns and knives. All with a dirty looking red substance on.

"I actually do feel sick now." Tom muttered, "So what happened?"

"Well we first knocked him out and then tied him to this." The man hit a board suspended above the cylinder, "Smash the switch mate." A light came on, it wasn't that bright but it lit up the room. The cylinder was a water tank the puddle was blood and the red substance was also blood. Eve wretched.

"When he woke up he was a bit of a mess already. The woman who told us to do this is either evil or mad, cause he is messed in the head. Well he kicked and screamed a bit, we asked him questions and he lied so we dunked him." He flicked a switch on the wall and the board fell into the water and stayed there until he flicked the switch again, "It really freaked him! Like he was proper scared, well he didn't lie. He wouldn't answer a question, so we burnt him a bit…"

"BURNT!" Eve squealed.

"Yeh, we had a fire instead of a light and put a poker in it. He screamed and writhed a bit. Then we took him blindfold off and killed these two people we had two midgets impersonate, they held fake blood and had these little recorder that played these kids screaming. Well for the girl he yelled a bit and began to cry when she was shot."

Eve tensed and Tom saw tears falling down her cheeks again, he put an arm around his shoulders.

"Well then we shot the boy and he kinda died. His eyes went dark and he started to sob properly…"

"I felt real bad for the kid. I mean he is ruined, we cut him free and he fell off the board onto the floor. He didn't fight, he just curled up and sobbed. That's when we cut his forehead." The man behind Tom interjected, he looked at the floor. He seemed actually sad.

"Yeh, following orders are shit." The grizzled man said.

"Well he went unconscious and we put him back to where we found him. We checked vitals of course, didn't just leave him. And we injected some vitamins and stuff to help him heal. Then we buggered off. Does that help?"

"That's horrid!" Eve shivered, "How could people do that to somebody else?"

"It could save his life. That's the only reason we do it."

"Thank you." Tom whispered then coughed and said it again. He then lead Eve outside.

She stumbled a few steps and just collapsed onto the floor. Tom could see she was shaking, but he couldn't bring himself to help. He had only gone there for a selfish reason, to see if Alex really cared, but the man had said Alex had 'like died' when he had been shot. Sitting next to Eve he put a hand on her shoulder and sighed.

"I thought I knew Alex." Tom muttered, "And then he vanished. Chaos followed, I saw him on the news and was confused. But everything made sense, Alex had been ill. It was coincidence. Then he came back more battered than ever. I was confused but his explanation made sense. Then he vanished again, and again, and again. While he was away strange things appeared on the news, reports of a blonde boy causing chaos and saving the world as we know it. Then he vanished and then appeared on a train, he was in a state. No shoes ripped clothes and messed up face. He then promptly disappeared again after he base jumped into a building. Then I found out he was a spy. At first I thought it was awesome, then I saw how it was hurting him. He didn't do anything; he would randomly disappear and come back even more hurt. Nowhere is safe for him anymore." Tom lay back onto the grass, Eve had stopped shaking and she rolled over and lay next to him.

"I thought he was always a bit odd, he should have been popular and proud. But instead he was conserved and elusive. I never believed he was ill, just that he was a gypsy or something. But everything changed when I saw him in the gym." Eve sighed, and Tom chuckled.

"You make it sound like you are love struck." Eve punched him.

"But as we left I saw his back, he had a gun. It was silver and looked expensive. He realised I must have seen it and so I coughed to cover it up. He seemed okay, but on edge. But I never forgot, I needed to speak to him about it, I needed to know why. Well I'm the reason so many people died, I pulled him into the classroom and shut the door. Otherwise he would have heard and he could have saved people, like he always does. But he just shot them, they died. He was so unaffected, I was just shocked, just so shocked. I think that's when I knew I never knew Alex Rider. He is more than us."

"We will never be like Alex, Eve. I think I'm glad we aren't, because he would have to kill us as a possible enemy. And I don't want to ever be on him bad side. I think I would kill myself in fear!"

Alex stood behind the conversation, he had seen them come out of the hut and seen Eve fall down. He wanted to know if they were okay if they had been tortured too. Then he heard Tom begin to speak and instead of speaking, he sat down and listened to them. About half way through Tom, Eagle had come and sat next to him. They just sat and listened.

"Does it get easier Egg?" Alex turned round and whispered to Eagle.

"Maybe, I dunno, I'm not a spy. But I think they will get to know you better, so will Jack. But I think most of the maggots will never know you."

"Do you think I should talk to them?"

"I think those two need to know you Alex, but I have an idea for that."

"You have an idea! Wow must have been painful…"

"Yes, I will need to ask Wolf but I have an idea." With that Eagle bounced up and ran off towards the unit hut. Alex looked down at his watch, 5:37, he had 23 minutes until dinner and then 2 hours until bed. Sighing he stood up and slid down next to Tom.

"Omg Alex!" Eve flew across Tom and hugged him, Alex tensed and awkwardly patted her on the back, "We went in and they told us and it was just… inhumane and horrid and horrible and I want to kill Jones and I hate rules and…"

"Alex, sorry I was a cow this morning. You see when we were listening to you get tortured last night I heard you scream for Eve but heard silence for me and I thought you didn't care and I didn't realise. Sorry." Tom sighed and looked at his feet, Eve looked up at Alex but couldn't tell an emotion. She stood up,

"Don't kill him Alex, and I will tell Sir you are being seen to." She ran off up the sloped grass.

"When you got shot I couldn't look, I heard your voice and just thought, no. I went mind blank, they had killed Eve who I cared about, they had killed jack and now they were taking the last person earth I cared about. I tried to scream but it got stuck in my throat. I cried. It sounds silly but I just couldn't cope with it, any of it. I believed it was all real, that you had really died. I just died myself, I had nobody to live for anymore so I gave up. Waiting to die." Alex looked up at Tom, he just looked back, his jaw slack with shock, his eyes wide.

"I'm so so sorry. I should never…"

"Its fine, you have to remember. I do this regularly, not the explaining, but the torture. But it's real then. So I won't react like a normal person will. Don't worry mate, I won't hold it against you." Alex grinned at Tom who grinned back, both of them laughed.

So much had happened, so little time. Both of them realised in that second, that this was going to be difficult but they had each other, and eve.

**Yo peoples, PPE's have hit so my writing time has gone down down down!**

**I will carry on going though, so don't leave me yet. Bit of a soppy ending, but I needed to counter the depressing pervious chapters. These couple of chapters are more about exploring friendships and starting plotlines than anything else. So hang on in there!**

**Have fun people,**

**George xx**


	12. Tag

Alex sat outside the Hut for as long as he could, he so far has avoided being in the Hut for more than a couple of minutes. This was the first night he had to stay in it and he was dreading his classmate's reaction. Breathing deeply he stood up and opened the door; Lily glanced at the door but ignored him. The others all took queue from her and also ignored him. Sitting on his perfectly made bed he looked into his bag and pulled out his bottle of medication. Taking a tablet out he swallowed it, glanced around to make sure nobody had seen and hid them again. He got changed and slid under the rough blankets, most of his class were in bed with their lights out now but Matthew sat reading with his light on. Alex looked over at his book, 'AS Astrophysics',

"Alex, what were those pills you took?" Matthew looked at Alex with disappointment in his eyes, his friend was acting odd, was it drugs?

"My medication, remember I'm always ill." Alex reached in and held them up to the light.

"But mirtazapine is an anxiety drug, why do you need that?"

"Surely you saw the news, that time when i…" Alex pretended to gulp, "Was in the middle of that fight and got stuck on the building… yeh."

"You have anxiety because of that?"

"Yeh, they think after my uncle died my body has started to attack itself. The fight just was the last straw."

"I know you're not a druggie, but am i…"

"Fine, you know I wasn't ill. But I can't tell you otherwise."

"Okay, night Alex."

"Night Matt."

The final light switched off and Alex heard Matt lie down, Alex sighed. Reaching into his bag again he pulled out his phone. Turning it on he texted Jack,

**Hey**

_Hey Alex, whats happened so far._

**TT, Paintballing and hell**

_Hell?_

**Yeh, PTSD kicked off and the class hates me.**

_Fun times, meanwhile I have beaten up an agent who came looking for you. I think he was MI6, but I don't care._

**Did he try to shoot you?**

_Nope, that's what made me think MI6. Anyway, I need to go sorry Al cya x_

**Cya Jack x**

Well she was alive, Alex thought as he curled up and let the black wash over him.

"UP!" A male voice barked. Alex groaned and sat up, Wolf and Eagle stood at the door. Eagle looked over at Alex and tapped his wrist, _hurry up we need to talk._

Rolling out of bed he pulled on his uniform and in his groggy state forgot about his wound.

"Alex!" A voice whispered next to him, "What was that thing?" Alex looked round to see Tom's face near his.

"Just an ex metallic entry point."

"BULLET!" Tom half shouted looking shocked.

"Shh," Alex waved his hand at Tom who pulled his jacket on and followed him outside, "Yeh. I'm alive though aren't i? Get over it Tom, it was like 2 months ago!"

"That's not…" Tom started but he stopped at a look, silently he pulled on his clothes and followed Alex out.

"Ah, Cub today is the first day of our assessment of Maggots and you three's first training day. First you, just you, are doing a time trial of route C. Those two are doing route F." Eagle looked at his watch, "1 minute and you two are the only ones out. This will be fun."

"Cub! You have exactly an hour." Wolf yelled, "Now get moving!"

Alex sent a salute towards Tom and started to jog off towards the sign saying 'c', he let the general decrease of the hill behind the huts lull him into a slow run. His entire body was rejoicing at being allowed to run in sunlight. After only being allowed to run at night and hidden this was heaven. The gentle slap of his boots against the mossy ground was rhythmic and calm.

After 5 minutes in the woods Alex heard a breath behind him, spinning around he saw a footprint on the floor that lead straight behind the tree. Alex held his breath and crept over, a man stood straight behind the tree, his red hair giving him away. He was looking the other way,

"Boo." Alex whispered into Fox's ear, he jumped a mile and sprang into attack position. Before relaxing as he saw Alex.

"How did you? I have been following you in super stealth mode, and I never get seen then!"

"I know you too well Ben." Alex grinned, spinning round the tree again he started to run again. Fox fell into step next to him. The two of them ran through the woods in perfect harmony, weaving between trees and jumping over streams and logs. Soon they reached the halfway point, a little break in the trees, Alex checked his watch they had 40 minutes left.

"Oh and Eagle is following Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee, they have two hours to run F. So far they haven't spotted Egg. He wanted to follow you but I pointed out he wouldn't even make the woods, he has less stealth than a distracted elephant. So basically we need to work on their spotting skills but that can be done."

"D,accord."

"I know you speak French, doesn't mean you have to use it!"

"D'accord." Alex grinned at Fox, turned and began to sprint through the woods, generally following the path. He could hear Fox laughing and following him. Alex flipped him the finger over his shoulder and Fox yelled something. Alex bounced onto the nearest tree and scaled it as Fox lunged as his feet. Following Alex up the tree Fox looked for the boy as he heard,

"Tu petit marde!"

"Do not call me a little shit!" Fox laughed down at Alex who sat on the floor, barley out of breath. Fox swung down and rugby tackled Alex. Alex snuck out and started to run again. Reaching the edge of the forest both of the laughing boys burst out. Fox's hat was in his hand and both of them let their hair fly, they were laughing and sprinting up the bank. Alex reached the top and skidded to a halt hitting Wolf hard on the shoulder,

"IACKI!" He cried laughing fit to burst, "VEET VEET TU PETIT MARDE!"

"JE N'AMIE PAS TU, ALEX RIDER!" Fox skidded next to Alex and both of them began to laugh, then they looked at Wolf and began to laugh more.

"Do I want to know?" Wolf snarled.

"Nope." Fox chuckled, he straightened up and pulled his hat back on and attempted to straighten his face. But the edges of his mouth kept threatening to jurk upwards. Alex looked round and saw the class staring at him,

"Marde." Alex muttered as Fox also looked over.

"I'm sorry about that, both Rider and Fox were caught last night out too late, along with his two friends. All four had to go on a run as punishment and as you can see this has caused bad behaviour again." Wolf sent Fox a glare, and Fox began to cough, "Therefore all four of them will be doing punishment today with Snake and Eagle who is currently escorting your maggot friends. Now please you are already ½ an hour late for breakfast after certain members caused chaos. Now get your arses in the tent." Wolf pointed to the mess hall and the class scurried in.

"Sorry Wolf, we just got…." But to Alex's surprise Wolf was smiling.

"You two are the worst people I have ever had to work with, but it has saved me a lot of trouble. Ah, I believe your friends are here." Alex turned around to see Tom and Eve barely jogging out of the woods, a little way behind was a very happy looking Eagle. Tom saw Alex and began to sprint over, Eve followed looking exhausted.

"Hey Alex." She muttered meekly, "7 kilometers we completed according to the sign." She doubled over breathing deeply and Tom completed her sentence,

"But it felt like forever."

"How long was mine Wolf?" Alex spun round, he had never realized how far he had ran in 40 minutes.

"About 12 Kilometers." Wolf said unemotionally.

"12! Alex are you Human!" Eve gasped.

"No, he is a shit." Fox mumbled, Snake doubled over in laughs.

"You guys get Breakfast and meet me out here in 20 minutes pronto." The five slid into the back of the tent. Grabbing their food they all sat on a table near some other men.

Tom watched Alex, he wasn't even out of breath and he was fine. He really was special. He started to talk to some of the men, and he fitted in. The only thing that was different was the age, they even looked like each other. Tom heard Snake make a snide joke, Tom frowned, it was unlike him to say something so Anarchist but all of them laughed. Eve glanced at Tom, she frowned and he shrugged, neither had seen Alex so relaxed and happy since he had vanished first.

"Tom? Come back to the world buster." Alex waved his hand in front of Tom and clicked a few times. Tom jerked up and smiled at Alex who started to laugh, "Why didn't you send a postcard?" the men laughed and Alex chuckled. Tom rolled his eyes and applied himself to his food again. For one of the only times in Tom's memories he was happy for Alex, Alex was in one of the only places he was safe. Even Wolf was smiling, the classmates were watching resentfully. Eve got up and went and sat by Charlie. The flashed grins at each other and Eve curled up into Charlie's arm.

Snake slid into her open space and looked at Tom,"You're out of your depth, totally. Aren't you?"

"What? No. I'm fine." Tom tried to seem strong but failed under Snakes glare.

"You're really not, you have to remember that Alex has been here before, has been on a mission with us as well. Fox has saved his life multiple times and the two of them are like brothers. You can't not like Eagle and me and Wolf don't want him dead. So Alex is safe here, the only place on earth he is safe. You have never had any of that, you haven't seen family and friends die," Snake stopped as Tom looked up at Snake, his eyes were almost the same as his own, only with a little more blue tinge to the brown flecks.

"Actually, my Uncle has died. We think he got shot but he just vanished one day." Tom looked down at the table, "Nobody knows where he is or if he is alive."

"Don't lose hope," Snake muttered, "And give us all a chance. I think you and Eve will end up not like Alex is, but you will be able to relate." With that Snake stood up and walked off to clear his tray. Leaving Tom very confused.

**A. PEOPLE OF THE WORLD!**

**Sorry I'm hyper again, it's a long weekend and I am kinda addicted to writing and Ritz Crackers!**

**Anyways, training begins here and if you can think of anything you would really like to see them do, MESSAGE MEH! The funnier, deadlier and more awesome the better!**

**Anyway leave a review to keep me updated on what I need to do and try reading a Fanfic I have found called ****'Hell is other people'**** it's a serious 'Alex goes to BB' one and its AMAZING!**

**Thanks,**

**George xx**


	13. Team

Alex picked up the pistol, weighing it in his hand he spun it on his finger. Glancing at Eve and Tom he smiled, Tom had picked it up and was holding it away from his body with a certain distaste, Eve was staring it in on the bench unsure how to pick it up. Tapping her shoulder Alex picked it up and placed into her hand, closed her fingers around it and let her arm drop down. She looked aghast but soon realised he was trying to help. She held it up infront of her examining it, Tom followed her and also looked over his own.

"So you two, and Cub." Eagle grinned, "We will be teaching you how to shoot just about everything we can today. Fox will be 'helping' you Cub." He placed emphasis on 'helping' knowing perfectly well that Alex could shoot as well as any of them. Possibly even better than most. Eagle pulled Eve and Tom over and started to explain how to hold it and stand, Fox motioned for Alex to follow him and they went outside to the outside range. Fox dragged over a target stand and threw Alex a box of bullets. Then he stood by the wall,

"Go on then, I'm not even gonna bother to move. You won't shoot me." Alex loaded the gun, aimed and soon put a bullet through the middle circle. Then another through the original circle and then again.

"Like that?"

"Urm, yeh? Have you been practicing?"

"Maybe, bedrooms are boring. Poor Jack thinks my games are getting a bit violent."

"Allleeeexxxx, that's criminal."

"Yeh, but so is being employed and working for more than 6 hours a day under the age of 16. And the Law hasn't pulled up MI6 about that, so is shooting in a public space, so is traveling illegally."

"Good point". Fox grinned and threw a small disk into the air, Alex shot it down. Fox threw two up, Alex shot them down. Three, four, five. All fell around the target, "You need to help me do that, this isn't fair!" Fox pretended to sulk. Alex passed him the gun and grabbed a new target.

Eagle scowled, 5 minutes in and Tom had only just hit the edge. Eve was regularly hitting the wall to the left. He kept repeating the same advice and they weren't doing it. Sneeking out of the back he could hear Alex shouting,

"Five? Higher you moron….. Try loading it in three times, it shoots three bullets together then…" Eagle opened the door and saw Fox shooting at five disks, all five landed around a target. Alex stood firing the disks skyward.

"FOX! Why isn't Alex shooting?"

"Because he is tonnes better so he is helping me."

"Fine, you two need to help me. I can't teach them."

"Well we have an idea, make them a team. Each one has a speciality. Maybe Eve can use a machine better, or Tom is awesome with knives or something. Because asking them all to become Alex is impossible, because nobody can be him." Fox shrugged, "They want to stick with him, which will mean they have to work together."

"Well Tom LOVES design tech so maybe he will like more technical stuff, and Eve likes fashion design and Netball so neither of them are useful. Tom plays football and likes shockput in PE, Eve plays hockey and netball and is awesome at discus and long distance running. What?" Alex stopped talking as Eagle and Fox grinned at each other and ran off. Alex shrugged and followed behind, making sure that Fox wouldn't spot him. They hurtled into the main building and flew up the stairs, Alex climbed up the banister to make no noise, they hammered on the Sergeants door and Alex hid behind the corner wall. Pressing his ear to the wall Alex could just hear the conversation inside,

"Well Sir, we have had an idea."

"We have been given the task of training Cub and his associates, sir. And we are finding increasing hard to train Eve and Tom. They have none of the talent of Rider. They need another task in the mission. We need to find what they can do. Make the three of them a team, train them up, make them strong and equal to Cub."

"What does this mean? To me."

"That we need full ability to use anything in the camp." Fox said in one breath and very quickly.

"And this is for the three of them?"

"Yes sir, no more than us five."

"Fine. But if I hear a word."

"Thank you sir." Alex heard some clatters and realised he was grinning, they were going to save him, his life. They were giving them all a chance of survival, of company. Alex slid down the wall and grinned into his hands.

"Knew it, Cub get up." Eagle dragged Alex to his feet and Alex grinned at them.

"Well, what's first then?" Fox and Eagle nodded at each other and then at Alex.

Alex grinned at Eve and Tom's shocked faces as Eagle pitched their idea to them,

"So what do you think?"

"Sure!" Tom grinned and clapped his hands together.

"Does that mean we become like you two?" Eve seemed more reserved.

"No, we are full time spies who have been trained to the highest level possible in everything anyone can. We have natural talents and massive amounts of training. You probably won't ever do C route in 40 minutes."

"But I think 1 hour is a suitable bench mark." Eagle grinned, and Eve nodded, "Well first we are going to learn arm to arm contact."

"Learn to fight?!" Tom looked shocked, "Like Alex did?"

"Similar, most of his was dangerous and not taught."

Alex twisted forward, slowly he threw a punch at Fox who blocked it and in slow motion turned to kick Alex's side, Alex jumped over the leg and again in slow motion spun round and aimed to kick Fox's face. Fox dodged and bowed, Alex copied. Then they started, all of it was over in 2 seconds, neither of them having been hit. They stopped and looked over at Eve and Tom. The large barn they had found had two punch bags hung up by old rope from barriers and a couple of mats.

Tom looked at the bag infront of him, he had been told to punch it, but how? So hoping for the best he thumped it, it swung and hit him in the face. Eve started to giggle and Tom scowled. Hissing he went to hit the bag again, he felt a bit annoyed that he couldn't do it. So instead he roundhouse kicked it. Forcing his entire weight behind his foot he forced it forward and then dodged as it swung back. Eagle clapped,

"That was cool, now Eve all you need to do is the same." Eve gulped and kicked it like Tom, they had both been in PE that fateful day so both knew basic kicks and punches, it swung and instead of dodging she let it swing back and punched it again and then dodged it. Eagle clapped and told them to beat it up and then he would work on technique. Tom took a deep breath and started to punch and kick the bag, after 32 hits and kicks the rope severed and it fell on the floor. Eve clapped and even Alex stopped beating up Fox to clap.

"Do you guys know Judo?" Eagle mused,

"Do you want me to get killed by Alex at it Eggy?"

"Sure, take on the bomb yourself." Eagle turned away and soon he heard a thump and Alex laughing,

"Oh dear Fox, that was dreadful." Tom watched Fox drag himself off the floor, then suddenly the world turned upside down and Tom landed on his back. Eve grinned down at him,

"That was fun." She smiled and then offered her hand to help him up. Eagle taught them how and where to hold and how to flip them. He also taught them how to land,

"But you shouldn't need to, Rule No.1 don't go down." Soon Tom and Eve were able to flip each other and together they even managed to flip Eagle. Fox and Alex spent 5 minutes laughing after. Tom watched as they grappled, punched and kicked each other and Alex normally won. The times he didn't Fox cheated, so Alex called that it didn't count. By the end they ended up rugby tackling each other.

Tom turned around to Eve and they nodded at each other, then they bowed and started to fight. It wasn't like Fox and Alex, much less smooth and much more 'sorry's' and 'oh no'. But they were executing moves perfectly, soon both of them were fairly quick.

"Wooohh, stop stop stop. You two need to wait, don't want you black and blue yet! You need to build up muscle before you can batter each other!" Fox stepped between them, they both grinned and grabbed his shoulders flipping him. Then suddenly they felt something around their ankles and Fox dragged them out from under them making them fall. Alex then sidled over and pulled all three apart.

"Well if we can't fight, what's next?" Eve pulled her jacket on again and re-tied her boots.

"I'm thinking bombs."

"BOMBS!" Tom dropped his jacket and let his jaw fall open.

"Yes, more the learning how to use them and possibly more grenade and other hand held device related." Fox stepped in as Eagle started to grin, knowing that he would make life more difficult.

"Follow us." Eagle scowled at Fox for ruining his fun. They walked out the hut and towards the main hall.

"So?" Alex prompted Eve and Tom.

"THAT WAS AWESOME!" Eve whispered, "I love it."

"I can see why you love it now Alex, beating up that thing was great."

"I will help you guys build up strength so even you can knock it out Eve. I will also teach you some slightly more edgy moves." He then disappeared towards the two men.

"What do you think?" Tom turned to Eve.

"I think that we need this, and I am glad it's me not an idiot like Grace that got caught up in it. And I'm glad I'm with you and Alex, you are both amazing." She smiled sideways at Tom and then ran off after the others. Tom followed, when he found them they were sitting in a circle on the floor with three boxes in front of them. Tom slid between Eve and Eagle who pulled a few bits of paper out and placed them in the middle.

"These are three bombs. This one is a wall blast; it's not very powerful but can cause lots of rubble and dust. This one is a basic grenade. And this one is a grade two, it's really for flipping cars and other such, this one is pressure censored. Well was, they are all deactivated."

Alex smiled at his hands, Tom was engrossed already, he was pouring over the first bit of paper with Eve who was fidgeting and moving her hands into different karate shapes. Alex leant back against the wall and closed his eyes,

"Maximum depth for grade 2?" Fox muttered,

"5 ft." Alex breathed.

"How do you?"

"You taught me it when I first arrived here. I never forgot any of it."

"Oh, what do you think of the idea?"

"Well we could either be amazing or fail and die. And that's going to end up with their death, which I don't want. So I'm nervous but I know it's the best thing we can do for them. They were dropped in it when I dropped it on them."

"It's not your fault Alex."

"I just don't want the Ribena saga happening to them, outside their house, on their doorstep."

"Don't worry, you guys are with us at the moment. No Ribena is spilt on my watch, unless I did it."

"Or me."

"Or you…"

**A.N.  
School is back soon so updates will drop again, and I'm busy for like-ever! **

**I'm gonna keep writing as much as possible though.**

**But what do you all think? Like the way its going?**

**Well review me what you think to keep me going, any if you haven't already check out Hell is Other People.**

**Love u **

**George xx**


	14. Jack

Tom looked at the three bombs, Alex had one in his hands and was timing how fast he could able and disable it. Tom looked at his diagram and at the smallest box, opening it he took out the bomb and started to fiddle. By moving the centre compartment out he was able to take away the ignition, by taking away parts Tom realised the only reason it was deactivated was because it was disconnected from the ignition. So by rebuilding it all he connected the wires and saw a little light turn on, now slightly scared that he was holding a live bomb he opened it up again and disconnected them. The light went off suddenly, Tom smiled, this was easy!

"Eagle. Sir. Could I have a hand?" Eagle slid next to Tom and looked at the bomb in his hands,

"What?"

"Can you explain how this works?" Tom frowned, "Because I just activated and deactivated it and the light came on. Surely that was alert the enemy if a bright red light came on?"

"Ah, um. Yes. But for training it is good!"

"Could you time me to activate it please?" Eagle pulled the stopwatch out his pocket and watched as in swift moves Tom connected it.

"27 seconds, now off….. 31 seconds. That's amazing, how do you know what to do?"

Eve sat in the corner with a diagram of the grenade, she was only looking at it for something to do. She already knew this wasn't her thing, it made no sense, looking down at her hands she remembered what Charlie had said to her that morning.

_"__Don't go too far Eve, I can tell there is something wrong. You are falling into something bigger than you babe."  
"I can't do anything now. I fell into it when it all happened."  
"But you can run, you can hide! I will run too, you can stay at mine and then we can run." He grabbed her hands in his own and looked into her eyes, "I don't want to see you get hurt, because as much as I trust Alex these people look dangerous."  
"They are SAS, they are the most trustworthy people on the planet."  
"Or so we think."  
"Please Charlie, this is bigger than me. This is about saving Alex's life!"  
"So you will die for him!"  
__"No, I just…" He let go and walked away. Eve called after him, "…don't want to see anybody hurt."  
_

Eve gripped her hands together and scowled, he was right in some ways she still didn't fully trust these people. But she trusted Alex, and if he trusted them then she would be okay. Scowling she looked at the sheet and gave up; picking it up she threw it at the wall. It stuck in between two bits of plaster board. She grinned, that was lucky and fun.

Alex looked over at Eve, she was looking at her hands scowling. He could just hear her muttering,

"..this is bigger than me." She scowled, picked up the bit of paper and threw it. It stuck in between two bits of plaster board, she smiled to herself and looked back down at her hands. Clenching them into fists she breathed and glanced over at Alex. Alex nudged Fox very obviously and pointed at the bit of paper then Eve. Fox's eyes widened and he shuffled over to Eagle who also looked shocked,

"Do you think she could throw knives?" Eagle breathed,

"I think so you know, I mean Alex can so it's not impossible."

"Yes, where did he… Okay i won't ask." Eagle faltered under Fox's glare,

"Well I will try her on it, I would call Snake and get him to work with this one. He has a natural talent for this stuff!"

"Okay, you take them through to the range and I will get snake and stop him blowing anything up." Eagle turned back to Tom and started pointing a small wires in the bomb. Fox called Alex and Eve, they followed Eve looking shocked at Alex.

Eve raised the knife warily, watching Alex she realised what she needed to do. Breathing in then out then she spun the knife and it hit the edge of the board. Alex turned to her shocked and started to clap, Fox patted her shoulder. Alex raised his own knife again and threw it, it hit the blue section,

"Need to go back to Scorpia." He muttered, "Might get kidnapped again and learn it all."

"Alex. Don't you dare!"

"I'm coming too! I want to be able to do that!" Fox moaned.

Eve glared at both of them, "Shut up!"

"Wooh! Calm down, we are not cats just cause your stressed you don't have to kick us!" Fox held his hands up in mock surrender. Eve scowled and threw the knife, it pinned Fox's collar to the wall his eyes opened and he looked at Eve who was still scowling.

"DON'T bring cats into this! They are more pure than us, much more, I am training to kill people and I am prepared to do this is you do NOT bring cats into it!"

"Okay, I'm sorry Eve. Now please tell me how on earth you did this?" Fox pulled the knife from in his collar and handed it back to her. She shrugged,

"I guessed. Thought it would scare you so I took a risk and decided the collar was better."

"Right, you are becoming a ninja. It's scary." Fox beamed at Eve who looked shocked his calm act after he had nearly been killed. Shaking her head she reminded herself that she was in a room with two people who regularly nearly died. Breathing in then out she imagined Miss Jones face on the target and realised, it hit the yellow circle. Grinning down at the knives she shoved them into their sheaf and put it into her belt. Eve looked up and saw Alex grinning at her, he seemed to realise what he was doing, shook his head and turned away to throw his knife at the board. It stuck in the edge of the red. Eve realised he was blushing slightly, she grinned, something was up with Alex but she couldn't put her finger on it. Shaking her own head she re-applied herself to the board and her knives.

Alex scowled at his knife, bullets were so much easier, but Eve seemed to get it! Alex sighed he was so used to being the best that this was annoying him slightly. But he had to admit, even though she was dating his friend and they were both in mortal peril, she was very very cute when she was concentrating.

But he could get mixed up in that, she was already in danger because of him. Another innocent life to be tarnished by his idiocy. Slamming the knife into the table in front of him he sat back against the wall and pulled out his phone,

_Jack, can you call?_

Alex put his phone on loud and put it back in his pocket, he then examined the exact way the cut on his right hand followed the paths of his skin. The newly made scab rough and hard to withstand near murder. He closed his eyes and let himself do something he never got to anymore, daydream.

He had obviously fallen asleep because next thing he knew somebody was kicking him. Alex grabbed the foot and pulled it out from under the person. A satisfying UMPH greeted the gesture as Alex stood up and rubbed his bleary eyes.

"It's just me!" Eagle wined from the floor, "I had to take you to main office something about a guy named Jack."

"What is she okay!?"

"I dunno, sorry." Eagle frowned and helped Alex up onto is feet. Alex then sprinted off and towards the main building not looking back, slamming open doors he slid into the office breathing heavily. Fox grimaced at him as a woman in a smart suit and a man in a white coat stepped forward.

"Alex Rider?"

"Yes."

"My name is Amanda Jones, Tulip Jones's sister. I work for MI6 and this is Doctor Phillips, from the Queen Elizabeth hospital. We send our wishes." She stepped back and the man looked up at Alex. He seemed nervous, Alex glanced at Fox he was monitoring Phillips, his eyebrows knitted together. Alex looked him in the eye and saw the man cower slightly, he was scared of him or somebody else.

"Yes…um… I am sorry to say that you carer Jack Starbright has been poisoned, she is in a coma and on a ventilator. We believe she got shot with a poisoned bullet, she is in a stable condition. We are…" He glanced back at the woman who smiled at him, "Hopeful of her recovery." He gulped and retreated back. Alex felt his stomach drop but he gulped, ignored it and tried to work out what was going on. He could sort out what was going to happen next. Pretending to cry he winked at Fox and ran out of the door, slipping under the window he pulled out his pocket knife and stabbed the edge one of the tyres on the car, it deflated. He then pulled a small stone from the ground and jammed it in the hole, tucking his knife away he walked back inside. Fox looked at him and Alex nodded. Alex then let his emotions actually break over, he slid down to the floor by the wall and put his head on his knees. Jack isn't dead yet… he thought desperately. Yet he could feel his heart hurting from loss. He put his hands over his head and shrugged off a hand from his shoulder. Even Fox couldn't help here. He could hear voices over his head but they were a blur, they didn't seem to matter at all. Alex knew he couldn't sit here forever, but his head and body felt heavy. Very heavy. A bang reverberated around the room, Alex tried to lift his head, now starting to worry he tried to lift his hand but it didn't move. His eyes wouldn't open, he could feel his thought bluring together.

The door opened, footsteps, bangs.

But Alex couldn't move.

The world dimmed till Alex knew no more.

**A.N. Heya!**

**Before anybody asks, all will be explained in time... i hope ;)**

**Well things are heating up in The Beacon Beacons. Whats going on with eve? How will 'the squad' go? Why is fox opening up to Alex so much? HOW DO THE CLASS KNOW NOTHING!?**

**Cya next chapter, please review.**

**George xx**


	15. Hospital

Fox snored loudly, the black bruise on his forehead hit the bed and he jerked awake rubbing it gently. Shifting himself on his chair he glanced at the bed his head had been resting on, grimacing he slouched out of the room. He wandered past other rooms, red blood covered some sheets and in others the men struggled with dreams and nightmares. Fox just kept walking past the dark rooms along the clean white corridor, the only light was little windows at the end. Turning left he saw a computer with stacks of paper either side. One said,

'Alex Rider: Cub.'

Fox averted his eyes away and walked out of the hospital onto the dirty track that was the only road in the Brecon Beacons. A couple of dirty land rovers were messily parked next to it, each with no number plate, just a white number painted on the side. The barns next to it were part of the original farm, 4 barns, all old, all with steel supports in them and still falling apart. Gaps in the wall, bits of roof missing, steel showing in the original wood. Meant for holding equipment and training rooms they were never used and therefore were in disrepair.

The huts, all corrugated metal and wood ranged in a semi-circle from A-N with the large hut at the end. All the kids were still asleep. Each one with a small decked area and overhang outside. Some had brushes outside while others, like K, had nothing but the small sign with K printed on it. The dirty, muddy ground between the huts, the barn, the road and the main building was patchy and scuffed. Fox could see a certain beauty to the situation. Something so calm as a farm, to become a war training ground.

Behind the huts was a stretch of dark green grass, roughly cut and on a slight hill. The ground sloped away to the forest. Little courses, huts and ranges were around the grass. With the dingy torture chamber hidden in the corner on the tree line. The light was, thankfully, out. All the lights were out, the sun was just dappling though the trees. Fox could feel the morning rays on his bare arms, the tiny specks of heat in the cold.

Looking at his watch he noticed he had 5 minutes to have breakfast before everyone was awake, and people were not what he needed right now. Fox slouched over to the food hall and helped himself to food, it had no real taste but Fox didn't care. His only family was currently in a coma and unaware of the text.

Fox didn't really care much anymore. He finished his food and hid in one of the barns, covering his eyes he let himself think back to yesterday to see if he could have done anything.

_I had noticed Phillips was acting wrong early on, then Alex had slipped outside and cut their tyres, so he had noticed too. Even after finding out the person he cared about most was in a coma Alex had acted like a spy. Yet I can't even compose myself 12 hours later! Never mind. Well Alex had then come back in and let his emotions happen, I had gone down to make sure he was okay then Amanda pushed me aside and patted him on the exposed neck, then I noticed her tattoo of a snake and tackled her. I didn't notice the patch on Alex's skin she had put there. Snake noticed and took it off but only after he blacked out. Well at least he is alive and we got whoever they are. Well MI6 are dealing with them, not me._

Fox scowled even as he thought MI6, but he was really too tired to be bothered to tackle them about it. The bruise on his head hurt again, so he curled up and went to sleep.

Alex woke up, he tried to open his eyes and failed… again. His annoyance at the state he was in was more of a problem than the state he was in. Alex tried to work out if Fox was still asleep next to him, again it failed. Alex just lay there, the things in his nose tickling, Alex thought about laughing. But couldn't. He could feel the clean cotton of fresh sheets and the cold of the pyjamas he was wearing. The sound of birds floated into his room, a window was obviously around somewhere, the dawn chorus. It wasn't very good, Alex thought, they were all out of tune!

Alex heard a door open and footsteps enter, not boots much lighter, calmer footsteps. The faint smell of aftershave floated past, mixed with the smell of something calm, like paper.

"Hello Alex." A man's voice said, Alex would put him about 30, "I'm Doctor Smith, I'm not from here, I'm actually from Shropshire Hospital for Children but I have been drafted here for you. I can guess you are really quite pissed off right now, I have heard from your friend that you are quite the active hero. I have read your file, yes and the MI6 one. It was almost a story! I couldn't put it down. Well I'm just going to check your measurements."

Alex started to imagine what he would look like, he guessed short brown hair, dark eyes? A white coat and blue stuff like the other doctors he had seen. Probably very normal looking, with glasses.

"Perfectly normal, now could you try to move your fingers. It probably wont work but it's a good idea to see the Nervous-patterns, check they are in good health. Now I have been told by your friend that you are also very intelligent. I have some audiobooks and podcasts for you to listen to if you would like. If you could try to move you left hand for yes… Okay I will put them on for you. They are called, "The Infinite Monkey cage" with Brian Cox and Robin Ince. Should be funny and educational.*" Alex heard the sound of static between sockets and a man's voice came out of a speaker nearby. Alex felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude to the doctor, he understood him! And could help him!

"I will come back in about 8 hours, a nurse will come in, in 4 hours for check-up. We have your heart rate on a monitor and if it goes too high I will come as soon as possible. Nice to kinda meet you Alex." The doc walked out and the door swung shut.

_Hello, pi by two radients to my left is Brian Cox.  
A further pi radients counter clockwise is Robin Ince  
This is the infinite monkey cage…._

Alex chuckled in his head and started to listen to them all talk, it was hilarious. The doctor was right, Alex had been bored. At least now he had something to do in the long hours of nothing. Alex dozed and let Brian Cox's voice wash over him with the laughing of the audience.

Fox awoke to the sound of two pairs of feet,

"Fox?" A boys voice, Tom. Fox opened his eyes blearily and looked over at them, the sun was bright now and was bouncing around the cavernous barn.

"Fox, is Alex okay?" This time it was Eve. Fox straightened his hat, rubbed his eyes and walked over to them.

"No." Both Eve and Tom's faces fell at his response, "He has been poisoned by Scorpia, he is currently in a coma. How come your in here?"

"Practice," Tom shrugged the question off instead he glared at Fox, "You mean to say we have been awake for 3 hours, 1 of which was spent looking for Alex the other two being yelled at by Wolf to run faster on the assault course. We came in here looking for Al, thinking he would be practicing but instead we found you asleep and you tell us that our best friend is in a coma. 3 hours late!"

"Calm down Tom!" Eve placed a hand on his shoulder, "Where is he and can we see him?"

"Yeh, but he will just lie there in silence. Follow me." Fox yawned and walked out of the barn, the two younger ones followed. Fox looked in a window and saw his own face reflected, pale with dark eyes. It scared himself to see himself like this. Walking into the small hospital he trudged along a the dark corridor. He could hear lots of people laughing and some people talking, looking round he saw the small speaker in Alex's room was on and a podcast was playing off an MP3, a small post-it note was stuck to the front."

_This is mine, please don't touch. Alex was bored so I put this on for a couple of hours to entertain him. Doctor James Smith._

Fox let a smile slide onto his face. He needed to meet this man.

"Alex!" Tom stopped in the doorway; his face fell at the sight of Alex. Pale, closed dark eyes, two drips, a ventilator, still and silent. Nobody could imagine Alex Rider like this. Tom glanced at Eve expecting to give her a pat on the shoulder to help her. But she just seemed unaffected.

"Hey Alex. I'm not going to ask how you are even though that's a very British tradition, even if you don't care how the person is you have to ask. And because I know you're not well, and I know you would say 'I'm fine'. And because you can't answer. Which is a big problem." Eve pulled up Fox's old chair and sat by Alex's bed, propping her feet up next to his face. Tom watched as on the monitor as Alex's heart rate quickened and then slowed, as if he was internally laughing. He could almost imagine him chuckling.

"Anyway, I need to update you on _key class drama!_ Lily thinks you have died, I told her she was a bitch and should die herself. Grace is acting oddly, we think she is in shock after Wolf raided her makeup store and used it for war paint on Eagle. We all laughed our heads off. I judo flipped Snake after he said that she was acting like a kicked puppy. He is now avoiding me." Alex's heart rate jerked again, "Wolf and Eagle don't seem to happy with me wandering around with knives either. The class think I have fell in with you and your druggie habits. They all think I'm a druggie too!"

Tom grinned and sat at the end of Alex's bed, Eve was laughing, joking and getting a response of Alex. Looking at Fox he noticed how pale he was too, how dark his eyes were, how he never smiled. Being a spy must be terrible, Tom sighed, watching friends nearly die. Would he look like that when he was an adult? Ill, pale, stressed and on constant alert.

Never allowed to live?

Well he would find out. Eve sighed,

"I need to go Alex, sorry, Fox is here and seems dead too so maybe you can communicate telepathically or something. Cya Alex."

**A.N. Oh damn!**

**BTW it was Scorpia that infiltrated, nothing else. They are being sorted and you will find out who they are!**

**REVIEW!**

**George xx**


	16. Nightmare

3 days on…

Fox snorted in his sleep, his dark eyes and pale face all contributing to the look of a man who has lost everything. Opening his bloodshot eyes he stretched and felt soft skin beneath his hands, soft skin that was damaged. Cuts and bruises covered Alex's torso, arms and face. Some were scars, others real and marks of his life. Fox looked at his face, finally at peace, he thought. His eyes closed, his body still.

The only sign Alex Rider lived was the small rising and falling of his black and blue chest.

The door slid open and fox sprang up like he did every time. A young doctor stood looking slightly shocked at Fox's appearance and actions.

"Hello again Fox, how's Cub doing?"

"Fine, pressure good, pulse steady and only 0.95% in bloodstream."

"Good, that was dangerous stuff they put in his system. She tried very hard to kill him. That patch was also very clever, very very clever. It is at the lab being tested for any other toxins she possibly could have smuggled in."

"Thank you doctor."

"That is fine Fox, anyway I came here to talk about you. I have spoken to some of the other doctors and I think it's time you have a blood test. Your complexion, since our friend here went under, has diminished, your appetite is none and your behaviour is quite irregular."

"Just lack of sunlight."

"Well we think it's more than that, and the fact we haven't picked up on it yet is because you are constantly avoiding us and being forced to eat by Snake."

"Fine, just somebody stay with Alex. He has these episodes where he has almost a nightmare and needs somebody to sit and calm him. He can spiral and go into dangerously high blood pressure."

"I will stay with him, you should only be a couple of minutes." The doctor sat in Fox's seat and looked at Alex. Fox pulled the door open and strode out into the corridor, the white and blue hurting his eyes. Men walked past, some in coats others in hospital gowns. Fox just watched them until a man tapped his shoulder and walked into a room opposite him, fox followed him in. Sitting on the bed he pulled off his jacket and exposed his arm to the man. The room was identical to Alex's except that the white bed didn't have a dead looking Alex on it.

"Hello Fox, I am Doctor Smith," He turned round and looked at Fox, looking at his arm his face fell, "What are all those grey rashes on your arm man?"

"Scars I think, I have just ignored them."

"Well I don't think we should," He pulled on a pair of glasses and bent over Fox's outstretched arm. Fox leaned back, scowling, he didn't much like contact it annoyed him. All he needed to do was get back to Alex, he had been told this was a blood test not a full scale examination! Wriggling his fingers he swallowed in disgust of the metallic taste that followed him around. "Fox, I'm going to have to do something I never do I'm afraid."

"What is going on?"

"You have Metal poisoning, something you have been stabbed by, shot with, or just jumped on has been rusty and poisonous. I'm sorry we are going to have to put you out."

"Out!?" Fox saw the man pull a needle out of his pocket and place it on his neck, Fox suddenly felt his eyes go heavy his arms go heavy. Doctor Smith caught Fox as his eyes closed and the world went dark.

Fox came around he didn't know how much later, he moved his fingers and toes and opened his eyes blearily. He was in a hospital room, which he didn't know, it was SAS and looked the same as Alex's. He noticed a needle in his arm, following its tube he noticed a greeny white liquid was held in a pouch, only one needle and one little pouch. He had a heart monitor on his finger and was still in his SAS uniform. Snake was leaning against the wall reading, Fox coughed and he shot up.

"Oh hey mate, chill out Cub's fine, still out cold but fine."

"Okay, what happened to me? Why am I here? I was fine!"

"No you weren't, it turns out that at some point or another you have been stabbed…"

"…some point or another, yeah right."

"…with a rusty knife, it left the tip in your arm. The metal is heavy and the bit of metal in your arm started to corrode. It left you with metal poisoning that was affecting your mood, skin tone and general health. We think that the reason it REALLY kicked off was because you had nothing to act strong for and so stopped acting. Or something like that."

"So what's happening to me? When can I see Alex?"

"Damn Fox, the kids fine trust me! You are being put on these tablets that dissolve the metals and will be let out from here once you finish that drip." Snake indicated his arm that just below had a small set of stiches in which Fox hadn't noticed. Peering at them he scowled and lay back onto his bed with a soft 'flump'.

Eve leant against the wall calmly, some men were teaching the class basic German. Muttering under her breath she muttered the song she had in her head under her breath, trying to remember the next line,

"I remember the day you told me you were leaving; I remember the makeup running down your face. Urmm…"

"And the dreams you left behind you didn't need them?" Tom suggested, "My cousin loves them." He replied to Eve's confused look.

Eve heard the door slam open and saw Eagle burst in, the whole class stopped and turned round watching as Eagle saw Tom and Eve motioning violently he yelled,

"ALEX!"

Tom and Eve looked at each other and stood up ignoring the class.

_Alex struggled with ropes around his wrists, the room was dark but for a small set of lights that surrounded him. Three bags hung on the other side of the light circle all three were wriggling, a man watched them, amused. _

_"__You see Alex Rider, you won't win. We ALWAYS win." The man's face began to creep into a smile, his cheeks reddening, as he saw Alex stuggle. He began to pace around the room, rubbing his hands over a gun he had picked up. More men appeared near him, all identical, all pacing. _

_"__Let them go, have me instead!"_

_"__No no no! We NEED them, you see Rider, we need them to hurt YOU!" The man stopped and aimed over Alex's head and hit the middle of the first bag, the bag stopped and then slumped heavily to the bottom. The sudden movement caused the ropes to snap and Tom fell out, scorpions crawling over his body, scuttling towards Alex. Alex began to scream, thrashing against the ropes. Then he aimed and hit the next bag, Eve, Alex screamed. He could hear muttering, he could hear shouting but it was a long way away. The final bag, the bullet hit and the person and bag fell, Ben lay dead on the floor more and more scorpions came towards him. Alex began to sob lifting his feet up he began to curl up as much as the binds let him. Then suddenly he felt a warm sensation in his hand, it spread though his body like hot sauce. A song came to his ears, a beautiful song sang by a lovely voice. _

Eve let off at a run, Tom at her heels, Alex needed help ASAP. She skidded around the corner and heard shouts coming from Alex's room,

"Blood high, and breathing raising if we don't get him out he could die!"

Tom stopped in shock at the door but Eve didn't. The room was full of doctors all moving around trying to get to Alex, the boy was struggling with something invisible. Ignoring the people screaming at her to get out she ran to Alex's bedside and sat next to the now thrashing boy. A woman grabbed her hand trying to drag her away but she shook her off. Taking Alex's hand she held it to her chest and started to sing a song she had heard.

_I drove by all the places we used to hang out getting wasted  
I thought about our last kiss, how it felt, the way you tasted  
And even though your friends tell me you're doing fine_

_Are you somewhere feeling lonely even though he's right beside you?  
When he says those words that hurt you, do you read the ones I wrote you?_

_Sometimes I start to wonder, was it just a lie?  
If what we had was real, how could you be fine?_

_'Cause I'm not fine at all_

_I remember the day you told me you were leaving  
I remember the make-up running down your face  
And the dreams you left behind you didn't need them  
Like every single wish we ever made  
I wish that I could wake up with amnesia  
And forget about the stupid little things  
Like the way it felt to fall asleep next to you  
And the memories I never can escape_

_'Cause I'm not fine at all_

The boy's drastic movements were becoming less, the doctors backing off quietly. Tom moved silently into the room and stood next to Eve putting a hand on her shoulder._  
__  
The pictures that you sent me they're still living in my phone  
I'll admit I like to see them, I'll admit I feel alone  
And all my friends keep asking why I'm not around_

_It hurts to know you're happy, yeah, it hurts that you've moved on  
It's hard to hear your name when I haven't seen you in so long_

_It's like we never happened, was it just a lie?  
If what we had was real, how could you be fine?_

_'Cause I'm not fine at all_

_I remember the day you told me you were leaving  
I remember the make-up running down your face  
And the dreams you left behind you didn't need them  
Like every single wish we ever made  
I wish that I could wake up with amnesia  
And forget about the stupid little things  
Like the way it felt to fall asleep next to you  
And the memories I never can escape_

_If today I woke up with you right beside me  
Like all of this was just some twisted dream  
I'd hold you closer than I ever did before  
And you'd never slip away  
And you'd never hear me say_

Alex's breathing was slowing down and Eve watched his heart monitor drop down to normal. She could feel his hand in hers, she could feel its dead weight and she knew she had won, but she had to finish the song._  
__  
I remember the day you told me you were leaving  
I remember the make-up running down your face  
And the dreams you left behind you didn't need them  
Like every single wish we ever made  
I wish that I could wake up with amnesia  
And forget about the stupid little things  
Like the way it felt to fall asleep next to you  
And the memories I never can escape_

_'Cause I'm not fine at all  
No, I'm really not fine at all  
Tell me this is just a dream  
'Cause I'm really not fine at all _

As she began to let go of his hand, to let him rest a bit more she felt a small movement. Looking down at Alex's face she saw his eyes moving below his eyelids, then suddenly she felt a strong hand grip her own as Alex's eyes opened and blinked a few times. Tom gasped and began to cheer quietly in celebration, Eve just looked at Alex and began to laugh. Alex grinned and mutter hoarsely,

"Hey mermaid and who is the weird dude behind you?" Alex began to laugh lightly and a nurse came dashing in to check his vitals,

"Perfect, well done miss. Well Mr Rider, you could be out within the day if you are lucky, that was a spectacular wake up." She nodded slightly and left again, as the door closed he heard a voice he would recognise anywhere.

"I can walk Eggy!"

"Yes but…."

"Who cares!? Alex is awake I need to see him… Hey!... Get off me, off!"

"Nope, thanks Snake needed a hand there." And a few seconds later a very pleased looking Eagle and Snake walked in pushing Fox in a wheelchair, well tied with rope to the wheelchair.

Alex's face fell when he saw him, "What happened?"

"Metal poisoning, just on some anti's. It's nothing compared to you, don't worry. Anyway how are you?"

"Bored, I can tell you now that being in a Coma I boring, I don't recommend it to anyone." Tom chuckled as Alex sent a sideways look at him.

"Well you need to be careful, you are an accident prone boy Cub, I'm gonna be sticking around more too both of you need more medical and mature attention." Snake cast Fox an exasperated glance, "Particularly you, your terrible!"

"I take great offence from that!" Fox stuck his nose in the air and began to laugh, Alex felt his chest lightening and he began to laugh too. He had to stop quickly though, a pain shot across his chest suddenly. Looking down at himself he noticed small bruised patches across his chest and his bullet wound was looking rawer than ever.

"Snake?"

"Temporary I think Cub, from your little terror there." Snake threw him a green t-shirt and Alex disconnected himself from everything and threw it on. Sitting up he stuck the needle into the bag which it was coming from and let it continue in loop. Eve rolled her eyes and dragged Tom back to languages, Snake sighed and left with Eagle too. Fox just giggled,

"You are a chip off your Guardians block. Did you know my parents knew you as a kid? You lived just around the corner from us, I don't remember you as a kid. I was too young, only 6 when you were born. My parents knew your Mum as she was the school secretary when she wasn't off beating the world. They met your Dad later on. My parents got shot when I was 19 and got chosen for MI6, I still don't know why or by who."

"Ben…"

"Wait, why didn't you forget my name like I told you to?"

"I dunno, you just kinda stuck in my head. Like an Ally, somebody I could finally stick by forever, ask questions of and go to when I needed help." Alex looked at his burnt arms and felt himself flush with embarrassment, he glanced at Fox and saw his speechless face begin to break into a smile. He looked down at his ropes and sighed,

"I need to teach Eggy and Snake to tie somebody up." Fox promptly slid out of the top one and then cut the second one on the chair. Standing up he walked round to face Alex and hugged him.

Alex knew for once he wasn't being childish, he was aloud to be a kid. He hugged him back tightly.

**I know i know that Eve's bit might be a bit cheesy but i knew it had to be like that to start the ball rolling on you guys.**

**What do you all think of Ben's reaction to all of this? It might not make sense at the moment but him having had Metal Poisoning meant he was being cold with everyone, and its just something little i added to make things more interesting in the future]**

**Please tell me what you all think, i'm not a genius and i am dyslexic so i dont notice my own mistakes. **

**Thanks**

**George xx**


	17. Photograph

The old barn on the edge of the BB camp was alive with activity for the first time in years, a blonde man sat on the roof fixing large holes with sections of corrugated steel he had stolen from another barn. A set of wires stretched from the barn being fixed to the other barn, where another short haired man sat attaching a box of screws to the wire ready to send it across. A boy stood inside the half mended barn, his blonde hair bright in the dappled light as he helped his friend stand to shoot and then go over to another man and begin to learn Russian on the old mats. A small girl with long brown hair stood concentrating on the target drawn on the wall in front of her; she held an equally small knife in her shaking hand. She took a deep breath and threw the knife hitting the target she jumped up squealing. The final man stood in the corner of the room watching the proceedings and yelling insults at the blonde man on the roof.

Fox slid down the wall and watched as Alex learnt his 6th language. He couldn't train properly yet and he still slept in the hospital but this didn't stop him, he was learning the basics of a language in a day! His insomnia meant that he was able to study into the night and most of the next day. He went on a run every morning and worked out in the small gym but in main just avoided his class and worked on languages. Eve and Tom worked furiously and Fox had started to see small changes in them, Eve was growing more as she ate and worked more than ever, Tom was becoming happier and more determined every day. Alex though was becoming the old Alex Rider, the boy who could defeat the world in his head and still have time for dinner with the president. Now he was having more sunlight and food he was able to do everything he wanted to.

"Having fun in your nest Eggy?" Fox called up in a very sarcastic voice, knowing full well Eagle was scared of heights.

"Oh please, birds shit on people all the time. I can make this one drop REAL bombs on your head." Eagle's tanned face stuck into Fox's view, he stuck his tongue out and disappeared again. Wolf looked up from his Russian book and nodded at Fox, this meant Alex's was getting there, and it was only 4 in the afternoon. Alex, if he got one more language, would be able to speak more than Fox!

Fox looked at his bandage, the metal was gone and after tracing his behaviour patterns with Snake they had traced where it had come from. The same fight as the one Alex got poisoned in, she had stabbed Fox with a tiny poisoned pin hoping he would die unnoticed and also be gone.

Well that was the theory.

Pulling his timetable out of his pocket he dislodged his hat, his hat was one of the only things that he had kept of his old life since his parents were shot. He used to wear it to the skate park with his mates and girlfriend, his girlfriend that had vanished when he joined the army. He reached into his hat, as if to scratch his head, and pulled out a small photo he had sewn into a pocket in the inside. It was him and his mates, she stood next to him. All of them were smiling and she was hugging him laughing. Underneath was the note,

_Love, Mia xx_

Mia, she had vanished as soon as he joined up, he always knew she would never cope with him disappearing at 16. But the fact she ran away! She had always said that MI6 was a mess and that it needed a woman in charge. She had always loved how Italy listened to women, loved Italy…

Mia loved Italy.

"SHIT!" Fox suddenly shouted springing up, "OH SHIT!"

"Fox?" Came multiple voices, but a set of light footsteps came over and stood next to him. Alex looked over his shoulder onto the small photo and then fell back.

"Don't tell me she is…."

"My ex, yes."

"SHIT FOX!" Alex grabbed the photo out of Fox's hand and the two of them ran out of the barn. Alex didn't knock, but burst into the sergeants office he stood up looking furious but seeing who it was just rolled his eyes. Only Alex could get away with that, "MI6…need to see MI6…kinda soon."

"Why?"

"We can't tell you, Sir." Fox moved in after Alex saluting, "Sorry."

The man looked from Alex to Fox putting 1 and 1 together he noticed the picture in Alex's hand, sighing he looked at his book on the table, "'copter 3 is available Fox. I'm sure both of you can fly?"

"Yes sir, though only I have a licence."

"Go, be back in 3 hours."

"Thanks Sir." Alex saluted and ran out, Fox rolled his eyes and closed the door behind the boy before sprinting after him to the landing bay. Slinging himself into the driver seat Fox buckled up and checked the boy next to him Alex grinned and nodded pulling on a helmet.

They set off across the land, ignoring the distance knowing it would be about 45 minutes until they saw London. Alex ended up asleep in the seat, ignoring the belts, he was curled up in the chair happily snoring. Checking his watch he noted 4:39 and went back to the helicopter.

Shaking Alex some 25 minutes later Fox looked over at the obvious sight of London. Turning on com's he dialled MI6 on his phone.

_"__Royal and General Bank how can we help you?"_

"I would like to know a local landing point for helicopters?"

_"__Are you visiting us Sir? If so can I ask your name?"_

"I am Ben Daniels, and yes."

"_We have an un-marked landing point on the roof you can take, Miss Jones will meet you, do you have any passengers Mr Daniels?"_

"Yes, Mr Alex Rider, also a holder at Royal and General."

_"__Very well sir."_ Beeeeeep.

"ALEX!" Fox punched Alex who kicked him in protest, groaning, "We are nearly there, you got the photo still?"

"Uh huh."

"Good." Fox spotted the small figures on the top of a tall building, Fox spun the helicopter and landed neatly in a large space on the roof.

"Ben, Alex what is happening?" Miss Jones pulled the door open and looked at the two agents, "Whats wrong with Alex?"

"Was asleep and is still a teenager, even though you guys have forgotten that. We each have a gun on us and I also have a knife. All declared can we go into an office somewhere?"

"Yes," Jones clicked off in her heals towards a small door.

"ALEX!"

"I'm coming!" And the two of them followed her though the 'bank' to a small office called, 'Jones'. The boys slammed in and both sat opposite her placing the slightly ruffled photo on the table between them.

"That is the 15 year old Mia, the current leader of Scorpia and…" Fox gulped, "…my ex-girlfriend."

"What?" Jones snapped up from the photo, "Why did you not tell us?"

"I didn't remember her; it was 6 years ago she ran away. But anyway, she is only half Italian, he father was Italian too and she is a pure feminist. She also hates anything to do with the British government, which includes all the army. When I joined the Army she ran away to her father, which is when she gave me this photo. All she ever said about her dad was that he was very powerful and that her mother was only supposed to get Mia to England to get her a good education so he could move her on in the world." Fox looked at his feet, "I think he was…was… Nile."

"Well she has part of his complexion, and that explains her want to kill Alex."

"It also explains how she knew me, when I went there. She was one of the people I met, and I assumed she just knew my Dad but if she knew Ben for a long time then she would have known me, before we moved when I was 3."

"Yes, yes, yes. Thank you agents, and please before you come next time. Have a shower because you both have what I hope is Ribena and mud on your uniforms."

**Its summer holidays at last, so as part of my 'avoid the sun' routine i will be writing much more than normal at the moment.**

**Well, review what you think i need them at the moment to boost this story into outer space! **

**Anyway, have fun in the summer time people!**

**George xx**


	18. Truth

The class was unusually silent, Leon stood in the corner with a bloody lip from where Tiger punched him and the rest of the class was finally behaving. They sat awkwardly in the addressing hall all now looking much more SAS style. The girls hair was tied back, all makeup was gone and jewellery was a past thing. The boys were all stronger looking and everyone had some bruises and cuts. They all stood in basic uniform, which was finally suitable, and with boots shined well.

But even then Tom, Eve and Alex stood out.

They each were more tanned, stronger and more battered than the others but what particularly stood them out was each one had a gun in a holster around there belt and Eve had two knives. Alex's hands were still bandaged from the last fight with Fox he had and Tom was sporting a bruise on his cheek. But all three looked thrilled with themselves that within the first week and two days they had got so far.

Alex shifted slightly as Wolf, Fox, Snake and Eagle walked in followed by Unit N. In the middle of this crowd was a woman and two men in suits, Alex noticed Fox pass one of them a note very subtly the man read it and kicked Fox.

"MAGGOTS! ATTENTION!" Wolf called into the silence, everyone slowly shifted into a vague Unit Ease stance, in about a minute everyone was looking at Wolf expectantly, "We have members of the establishment here to talk to you. Stay quiet for them or you are all running the D route!" Wolf stepped back as Miss Jones clicked forward.

"Alex, Tom, Eve step in with Unit K please we are not dressing this to you," Alex lead the other two past Jones who passed a small note to him,

_We are telling them._

"Class 10Y1 we have a problem, you all believe you are here as you are being trained in case of another attack and as the oldest year we have volunteered you. This is a lie. You have been brought here because you have been going to school with a highly trained spy who most of the main mafia groups wants dead. Alex Rider was brought in after his uncle died and is now working for MI6, he had been on a number of missions which you will have noticed his absence. You also have two operatives in your group, Eve and Tom were both scripted in when they stumbled on Alex's secret. Your class is very much in a fight against an evil organisation. Alex, Eve and Tom are being pulled out of normal education for the foreseeable future to minimise disruption. Thank you." Jones stepped back and glanced at the class who were all staring at Alex, then Lily stepped forward and in a wavering voice said,

"How do we know you're not lying?"

"Miss Jones MI6 secondary command post and agent lesion specialist," Jones showed the class her card, "I think that should be enough to show you that I'm not one to lie. Also you all need to sign the Official Secrets Act now, if you tell anybody we will shoot you if the enemy doesn't first. They don't want the world we are in to be shown either."

"What about our families?" Ryan stuck his hand up.

"As you all already live in London we will be continuing to monitor your safety personally."

"What about Tom and Eve? Why are they getting preferential treatment?" Jones began to open her mouth but Alex stepped forward and she shut up,

"Both of them knew about my identity from an earlier point than this and both have now joined MI6," They class looked in awe as they both blushed, "Tom found out in Italy when he found me on train after a fight and saw me fight Scorpia. Then Eve saw me… injure… the men who came to school."

"You mean kill?" Lily gulped, "You can do that now right? Why shouldn't we all be dead by now if you can do that? We hated you, bullied you so why aren't I dead? You nearly shot me already."

"ALEX!" Jones whispered in shock, "I told you not to have a… ouch!" Alex kicked her shin lightly.

"Because you are all innocent, you knew nothing and couldn't know anything. The fact it had taken you so long to hate me was a shock anyway. I was expecting a much shorter time. If Eve and Tom turned against me now we would have to shoot them immediately." The whole class recoiled in shock.

"So are we now in a war?" Emily muttered, "Are we all going to die?"

"I cannot say, but all I can promise is that we don't want any of you dead… yet." Alex stepped back motioning to Fox behind his back that he wanted out. Fox tapped on his hand,

.- ..- ... - / .-. . -. / .. - / .-.. .. -.- . / - -. / - ... . / ..-. .. .-. ... - / -.. .- -.- -..- / .. / .- .. .-.. .-.. / - . . - / -.- - ..- / -... -.- / - ... . / .-.. .- -.- . .-.-.- *

Alex nodded in response then he smiled at Tom and Eve before running out of the door.

Sprinting down the grass he didn't close his eyes this time, he just needed to talk. He heard Jones shout and then Fox say, "Don't worry Miss, I'll go." Then footsteps following him.

Diving into the trees he crashed through the brambles and reached the lake, sliding down a tree he caught his breath and waited for Fox who appeared a few seconds later, also out of breath.

"What's up?" Ben turned to Alex frowning, "You okay?"

"What do I do now! I'm open to them, do I show them up like normal? Or do I just avoid going to their sessions? Help me Ben! I can't cope with no secrets!"

"The true life of a spy, secrets and lies." Ben lay back on the bank, watching Alex stand and begin to pace his knuckles still wrapped in bandages from fighting, "Well I dunno Alex, I have never been in your position. All I can say is be truthful with them, it's what I would do."

"Urrm… how do you… what do I say?"

"Nothing, the less you say the better. They know so little, they can't know about your missions, who we are against or anything. So you aren't bare, you have still got so much hidden from them."

"Thank GOD!" Alex sighed, finally sitting down. Leaning against his tree again he rubbed his face in his hands, wincing slightly as he touched his raw knuckles. Looking down at them he sighed and pulled of the bandage showing dried blood and multiple bruises. Ben glanced at him, smiling slightly at his intrigued face. The frown lines on his young skin showing how much time he spend like this.

"Could I ever become a police officer or something?"

"Depends," Ben pulled himself up to face Alex, "How many people could you cope with kicking out of life?"

"As many as I need to keep Eve and Tom safe." Alex looked straight up at this, finally meeting Ben's eye and he let a crooked smile slid onto his face, "And you?"

"As much to keep you and Will safe." Ben grinned at Alex's shock, "Don't tell you I called him Will in front of you, he tends to keep that quiet too."

"I wouldn't say anything, promise." Alex did a very dodgy scout sign, looked at it, then Ben and fell about laughing.

"RIDER! DANIELS!" A woman's voice called irritably, "I swear to god I will never ever let two agents loose again, finding them is impossible."

"Coming Miss," Alex called back sending Fox a stupid face he ran off to Jones and lead her back.

"Boys, I need to have a word. I don't know if you were told Daniels but Hollor died in action yesterday…"

"…Oh my…" Fox closed his eyes and sighed, "I didn't know him well but he was the Rank One agent right?"

"Yes."

"Well Alex, he was our best Agent. I am 2 I think, I don't know yours Alex but it's going to be very high."

"Well since that has happened we have re-evaluated. We have re-tested all agents, your Sergeant has watched you two and you are both now Rank One. Well done boys, it means nothing. Normally it would mean more danger and people after you but sadly you two are the most wanted people in England at the moment. Well make that Europe."

"Thanks I guess…" Alex shrugged.

"Thank you Miss." Fox stood up and helped Jones out of the dip they had been sitting in, indicating he would be back Fox guided Jones back to her car.

Alex looked over at the cold water, the dark reflective depths of the water guided Alex over. He scrambled onto a small ledge overlooking the water and looked down on the machine gun and bottle at the bottom. The gun was large and slightly rusty, but the dark scorpion engraved on the butt was enough for Alex to hate it. Pulling off his Jacket, T-shirt, Shoes and socks he dived in.

The cold water wrapped around his chest constricting him, but closing his eyes he took a mental breath and pulled his arms round to power to the bottom of the lake. The clearness of the water was a lie, underneath it was dark, muddy and dank. Wiping his face he felt cold mud on his hands as they stretched forward again. It clung to his skin and the cold was starting to cause his hands to go numb, forcing his hands across the bottom he blindly searched for the gun. His chest began to hurt and he knew he had seconds till he passed out or had to go up and give in. Suddenly a solid thing stuck Alex's hand, he recoiled but noticed from its shape it was the bottle. Grabbing it and the gun he spun round and powered upward. Surfacing he noticed Fox standing on the edge looking pale,

"Alexander John Rider, never scare me like that again!" Fox grinned and pulled Alex out with the gun and bottle before handing him his jacket and t-shirt. Looking at the objects he also recoiled.

"I don't know why there are here, but they look recent." Alex shivered pulling his shirt on and jacket before shaking his head to dislodge some of the water. Looking up again he saw Fox bending over the weapon,

"It has clingfilmy substance covering something on it," Fox pulled at the corner of a transparent cover on the base of the large gun, pulling it off a small amount of a red substance it had been keeping dry stayed on it. Alex gasped, now he stood up and grabbed the gun, covering the base again he kicked the bottle towards Fox who picked it up too.

"We need to get it to our barn, keep it safe so I can get everything I can out of it."

"But Alex…"

"Fuck MI6, this is personal. Just to notify you, that not Ribena!"

**Hey, **

**I dont know if it is Summer Hols anywhere but England right now but i have noticed on all our stories that its mainly English reading anything at the moment. What is going on!? :O**

***This is real morse code, for a real message. Again if you need help finding a way to solve it here is a website in our fav code to help**

**jyyq \\\eee/pm;omrvpmbrtdopm/vp,\,ptdr+vpfr/jy,**

**Review me for help and i will put a review as a guest up to help if need be, but i have faith in you clever people out there!**

**George (aka Charlie :) ) xx**


	19. Notes

**This is a short one, but i will make up for it in time. I promise.**

Placing the gun on the mat carefully Alex turned away as Fox smashed the bottle on the floor nearby, Tom turned away from the bag at the noise and Eve spun round ignoring the knife held by her ear by Eagle trying to scare her. Turning back Alex crowched by the gun and took off he musty film covered in blood, Roia's blood if Alex wasn't incorrect. The other two had white snake's, Roia was the best shot so would have been Black, like Alex's gun.

Tom pulled off his gloves and Eve tucked the knives into her belt, Eagle was already next to Fox.

"Alex found these in the bottom of the lake." Fox explained, "He doesn't want MI6 to know yet, so keep their existence quiet."

"What are they?"

"Well one is a note we haven't read yet, this one is Roia's gun."

"He is the one that nearly shot you!" Eve squealed, then hid in the front of Tom's jacket at the memory of that day, Tom patted her on the back awkwardly, looking over her head.

"What else do you know? Cause that is your i-have-solved-the-maths-question-but-i-am-only-telling-you-the-first-step-cause-you-need-to-use-telekenisis-to-work-out-the-rest face."

"And his i-am-shit-scared-but-aren't-showing-it-face." Eagle suggested.

"Well he was the best shot in Scorpia if I remember right, so I know this was his gun. I also know if I remember the average speed of rusting that this has only been there a very short time. Which means they knew I would go there, cause this is here to freak me."

"How do you…"

"It's a man I shot, in a place I thought was safe with a underlying message saying we know you are everywhere Rider, we can get you before you know it."

"Alex, read the note." Eve held it out for him, looking pale and dead.

_Run Rider Run, we know about your barn, we know your dreams. Did you have fun listening to those podcasts while in the coma? I would run before your little friends die. My Army is 129 people strong Alex, and yes I am happy to tell you that because you can't run. My little infiltrators escaped after they poisoned you and your friend, I would really hope you have enough sense to run alone to save lives. Because we don't need another version of your parents and uncle do we? Another person to cast themselves in front; of your bullets? People dying to save the good guy who turns out to be as dirty as the bed guys? Well let me tell you Alex, if you don't go, we will come._

_Mia Connroy xx_

"Pass it Alex," Fox held out his hand and Alex placed the note in it. Eagle read it over his shoulder.

"Tonight." Eagle stated, "We have nearly 4 hours till sundown, if you want to go we all go too."

"But…"

"Alex we are a team, we are signed up for this!" Eve turned round and glared at Alex.

"What about your families? Charlie?"

"We will leave them notes, and damn him he is being an arse." Eve shrugged, "I always knew it wouldn't last, his eyes wander and I don't know if I ever liked him that way."

"Well are we going? Cause if so we need to make plans?"

"I'm in." Eagle stuck his hand in the air, "I will do a first aid thing today with Snake to brush up."

"Me too." Tom threw his hand up too.

"No point asking me, I stick with Alex." Fox smiled.

"I will go and break up with him then!" Eve ran out.

"Tom go get everything to do with Bombs, then pick the lock on the shed and take some little stuff. Eagle go get on with Aid." Both boys ran off.

"Ben…"

"Alex we always knew it would happen. Well now we can prepare, I can get guns and you can hotwire an incognito car."

"But Ben I can't make you guys do this."

"But we all say yes, and we both know if you go alone I will just follow without you knowing. Anyway we need your bag to get stuff in, I think we will survive if we can get to London and tell MI6 the problems. They can sort a place and we can go into hiding and prep to fight. I'm not expecting any of this lot to go straight into it, we gotta sort them all out a bit more first."

"Fine, but it needs to be Jones cause I stole something out of her case…" Alex looked at the floor as he took out a few sheets of folded paper from his pocket.

"Alex… What are they?"

"I saw them, they had your name on and thinking they were mission reports I wanted to see what you had done. But they got… were worse."

"Alex? What on earth?"

"They are from Blunt, Jones must have taken them because they say _Confidential only for command position 1_ on them."

"Just tell…"

"Blunt hired Yassen to shoot your parents."

**Please nobody kill me!**

**Well how do you think its going? Review me how.**

**ALSO I NEED HELP FROM ANYONE WHO CAN! **

**I cant write a decent thing to get people to want to read it, I'm trying changing it but I'm still not happy with it. You guys, I have read some of your stories and you have great ones so please help this slightly stumped blonde!**

**DM me, Review them, send them by telekinesis if you can but anyone please help me!**

**Thank you **

**Georgie xx**


	20. And Letters

_Blunt,_

_I have been watching the suspects for some time now and I believe we are ready to spring attach at last. They need to be gone soon or I will leave, I am not being paid to sleep in a hedge. I will take them out tonight, you can then scout Daniels within a few weeks of now, when I am out of the way. _

_Daniels will be a good agent, I can promise you that. He shows potential, all I would say is that he has a mind of his own and if somebody he wants alive is in danger he will protect them, if need be call me to get another out of the way. _

_I think, it sounds odd, but Rider (his associate) will be good too. He shows early signs of want for adventure and fight, I would tip off Ian and get him to train him up from an early point. The faster he is trained the faster he can fight for our cause. _

_I have infiltrated Snakehead and am beginning to plant signs of disrupt, I will leave no trail and you can send a disposable agent or two in and destroy them. They need to be fully destroyed though, they are strong and need all 15 key members to be gone to insure they don't come back. Scorpia will be easier, they just need key management gone and then for us to pick up the agents and turn them to our cause. Big Red Circle we cannot defeat, just become allies of. They stay in Asia and we take everywhere else. _

_If my plan with Rider helps then I would send him into Scorpia when he is ready too, or just let him find out about John and let him follow himself there. _

_Remember to destroy the document after you have read it we cannot let Jones find out._

_Yassen_

_Yassen,_

_Tonight would be good as I need Daniels very soon for a mission in America, so far from you. _

_Alex Rider? That would be dangerous, Ian could kick up a fuss about it or should I hoodwink him and let him believe it's for Alex's good and that he is teaching him in case of self defense? That could work, after John's death Ian has been very protective over Alex and it will be hard to get Alex to join us unless Ian dies and Alex is old enough to be in line of fire._

_Trust me, Jones has no idea and I am going to keep it that way._

_Blunt._

"Do you want me…" Alex stopped half way through speaking as he felt pain shoot across his cheek as Fox slapped him.

"You stole Grade 1 Doc's Alex! That is official treason! And I don't care, leave me alone if you want."

"So is plotting murder of two innocent civilians! Also if you look deeper into Blunt's letter than it implies he sent Ian on a suicide mission to Devon! Knowing my luck he was probably plotting with Sayle too and sent me there for a test or something! Yassen killed my Uncle when he had just discovered something, maybe it was Blunt's plan! Not what happened there! That makes sense!"

"That's great." Alex looked at his 'brother' he was slumped against the floor head in his hands ignoring Alex for the first time.

"Do you want me to go?"

"No, you can stay. Just please write down everything you just said or you will forget it." Fox threw Alex a pen and crumpled bit of paper and he wrote down a messy diagram of what he knew and what he thought he knew or suspected. Alex then looked up at Fox who for the first time in Alex's time knowing him was looking angry.

He sprung up and ignoring the gloves started to punch the bag in a unpatented, violent way. Alex watched him and remembered reading a book in which the main character had a fight with his friend and saved him from committing suicide. Alex felt his cheek, Fox had been angry them but had lashed out at the only logical thing he could. Right.

"Fox!" Alex called. Fox spun round and Alex went to kick him in the chest, Fox caught it and tried to flip Alex who jumped out of the grasp and they began to fight.

Eve stood at the door and watched them, knowing that if she entered she might be beheaded. She was watching murderers fight, the way they do it was like big cats. Soft, strong and violent. She could see Alex's face. It wasn't one of practice, one of what did I just learn to do next it was calculating, sudden and slightly scared. They spun, kicked, punched, jumped and Alex even rolled to avoid a possibly lethal blow.

"What on earth!" Eagle appeared, Eve grabbed his wrist and pulled him back.

"Something has happened, its best to let them go at it. They are evenly matched; they know each other better than anyone else and we need to let them get whatever has happened out of there system."

"How do you know?"

"Well watch Alex, he isn't practicing. He looks slightly scared and it's a look I have seen once before, when he shot those three agents. He is also calculating, he is working out how to stay alive and move and fight all at once…"

"…then we need…"

"…no we don't! If I see Alex start to lose it I promise I will let you go in and split it up, but the fact he hasn't flipped or his PTSD hasn't kicked off yet means he is in control and possibly even started the situation."

"How do you know all of this!"

"My granddad was in the war, he told me a lot about PTSD. Also I know Alex. Also I am guessing because I have seen them fight normally."

"Ohhh… And you got all of that in one go!?"

"Well yeh, you need to be round girls more Eggy."

A bang made both of them jump, Fox had Alex pinned on the mat, he was whispering something and Alex started to talk back, "Don't EVER say that again! I have lost my parents, Uncle and all of my friends! I also thought I lost my only left family!" Eve watched Alex's eyes go wide and his hands began to grip Fox's wrists, as Fox got close to his face.

"Eagle get Alex out, I will catch him it's his PTSD!" Eagle sprinted off towards the two boys, Eve on his heels. Eagle grabbed Fox and pulled him off as Alex shot up but Eve had him already. Taking a deep breath she grabbed his waist and rugby tackled him to the ground. Looking into his eyes she saw they were wide, he looked at her and tried to get up but Eve held onto his ankle bringing him down again.

"Eve? Alex? Fox? Eagle?" It was Tom.

"Help!" Eve called, and before she knew it she had a much stronger more able boy pinning Alex to the floor but not getting in his face. She leant back and let Tom struggle for a second before crawling over and sitting next to Alex's head. "Alex Rider."

"Noooo." Alex closed his eyes and tried to curl up, Tom let his legs go and Alex curled up in a ball on the floor.

"Alex what did he say?"

"I…I… should be gone!" Alex wined pitifully, "He is riiiiight!"

"Tom stay here, keep him from running." Eve stood up and ran over to Fox and Eagle who were both sitting against the wall, Fox seemed to be in tears.

"See Will, this is what they do! Make monsters, I could have killed Alex! I bet he is so…so… scared!"

"Fox?"

"STAY AWAY! I can't hurt her too!" Fox curled up like Alex and began to rock, Eagle looked at Eve wide eyed and shrugged unknowing. Eve motioned towards Alex and Eagle nodded, standing up he went over to help Tom with the now thrashing Alex.

"Fox," Eve sat opposite him, "Its not your fault, nor is it all of MI6's."

"Read those and say the same." Fox held out the letters both had tear stains on them. Eve soon realised what Fox meant, Blunt was a monster and this 'Yassen' person seemed as bad!

"Who is Daniels?"

"My...Cousin." Fox snuffled quietly, his whole body showed something more was up but as much as she tried she couldn't think of anything to say. "TOM!" Fox suddenly shouted looking up, he didn't sound tearful now, just strong like normal.

"Yeh?"

"Bring me Alex's phone! It's in his inside pocket." Fox looked down again and curled up as Tom passed the phone to him. Eve watched him type in a number and hold the phone to his ear.

"_Hello Royal and General Bank how can we help you today?"_

"Hello I am Fox, holder of an account here I would like to talk to Miss Jones."

"_Can I ask why?"_

"Life Innsurance."

_"__Passing you over, and tracking you position Ben."_

"Thank you."

_"__Ben?! What has happened? I am getting into a Helicopter now, how many are we picking up and what do you need to talk to me about? I would have thought for life insurance you would have gone to Mr Blunt."_

"I would rather talk to the account liaison right now."

"_How is Alex?"_

"PTSD breakdown, we are on it. You need to pick up a few of us and a bag of stuff."

_"__Of course, now get to Alex ASAP! He needs YOU! I don't care what Blunt says I know you two and he will need you even if you hate him."_

"Yes miss." Beeeeep.

Eve stood back as Fox raced past to Alex's side. She closed her eyes and processed the last 5 minutes, Fox had got angry about the letters and Alex had started to fight him or Fox had kicked off against Alex. They were marked so maybe Alex stole them and Fox was angry at him for being illegal. Then Alex had kicked and her and Eagle had broken it up, Alex wasn't settled yet and Fox was hiding something. Sighing she finally opened her eyes to see Charlie and a few others standing by the door.

"CHARLIE GET OUT!" Eve stood up and so did Eagle now that Fox was quietly speaking to the thankfully hidden Alex. Stalking over Eve crossed her arms and Eagle shadowed her.

"What's going on?" Cameron asked, "We heard noise so we came to see."

"That's going to get you killed." Eagle muttered just loudly enough that they all heard but quietly enough that is sounded scary.

"I don't care, it would be funny to watch Alex be a weirdo! I mean special needs kids are funny as so he is the same a freak!" Cameron grinned and high fived Leon who cackled. Cameron turned round and Eve took her opportunity, kicking his knees he started to fall back and she lifted him enough to pin him against the wall. Pulling out her knife she held it to his neck, his smile faded immediately.

"What you don't know could fill so many books that not even Matt could read them! So don't jump to decisions while you can't even back them up." Eve dropped him and slipped her knife away, Charlie turned to Grace and nodded knowingly.

"What Blondie?" Eagle glared at Charlie.

"Grace told me why _that_ broke up with me, it's because Alex has bullied her into it. He ALWAYS has liked her…"

"…has he? That news to me because I happen to know the real reason so shut your stupid mouth and leave us alone."

"Why? And give me a good reason not to punch you." Eve watched as Charlie faced up to Eagle who tried to fight a smile, then out of the corner of her eye she watched Alex walk up behind him. She walked to Alex's side and watched as the kids huddled together, Alex was smiling in a cold way.

"Because…" He smiled, and walked up right next to Charlie and whispered in his ear, "He could kill you in 15 ways and make it look like Grace did it without trying. Then all of us could back him and disappear before your daddy even knew." Stepping back he saw Charlie's eyes widen, "You're fighting people who you can't beat, and we are fighting people who you can't join or beat. We have allies you can't dream of, and weapons you can't even see. So please Charlie, if you would like to keep your head move. No really, a helicopter is about to land there." The class scattered.

**What do you think about it all?**

**Well if you could help me with the summary that would be greatly appreciated as i am having a small meltdown over it, if anyone could help me in any way. If that is to trouble shoot punctuation or spelling, or if you would like to entirely rewrite it in 5 minutes! But please please please help me!**

**Thank you people, if you could put it in a review or DM or anything please do. **

**George xx**


	21. Safehouse

The truth was no Helicopter was landing but they were all gone, Alex let his smile slid off his face as he walked back inside to find Fox who was gathering all of the stuff in a bag they had found. Tying off the top he sat down next to it and got Alex's bit of crumpled paper out looking at the scrawled writing of a boy who was very preoccupied. The letters lay in the top of the bag.

"Guys, we need to talk about this whole 'runaway' thing." Fox called to everyone who joined the two boys on the floor.

"Well what's the status as MI6 are due here in 10 or so minutes to get us."

"Charlie and class are gone, they are all scared of us. Just sorted that out."

"I got Snake's number and he knows he can't come but is ready to cover for us if need be, medical all sorted too."

"Got bombs, and some bandages and guns and stuff, it's all in the bottom of the bag."

"Well we have some more intelligence on the whole situation. We need to have a sit down with Jones someplace safe an tell her what just happened."

"What…"

"Blunt is working with the man who killed my uncle, nearly killed me and Sabina and…" Alex was cut off by Fox who looked at Eve directly,

"…Okay I lied earlier, I am Daniels and they were my parents he was talking about."

"Well those two have been plotting we don't know what, and who else is in on it we don't know either. All we know exactly is that a lot of what Fox and I have been told is lies."

"How do we tell Matt and Danny what's happening? They don't hate us yet!" Tom looked hopefully at Fox who shook his head,

"We can't, it would be like Alex telling you he was a spy without MI6 go ahead. It drops you in the deep end and forces you into a world you aren't prepared for. MI6 can cover up these guys, keep them safe but telling them this is an entirely different world!"

"Oh… What do we…"

"Tom, this is like me disappearing half way through school again except this one is planned and I'm with others and more prepared."

"Ohhhh…"

"Are we really spies then?" Eve sounded more meek than ever, more like a 3 year old than a 15 year old.

"That depends, you can become one, or you leave now and say that Alex bullied you into it."

"I could never…"

"Then I'm sorry. Goodbye Eve Bellemy, you are now an invisible, silent, murdering Spy. Welcome to our world." Fox sighed.

"Our families?"

"I really really hope they can't trace them because you are just suddenly here, but if they do… Well I would make sure the next time you see them you say you love them."

"Oh." Eve's face went pale and Alex felt a small girl shuffle over and curl into his side, her face wet she just curled into his side and sobbed. Alex placed and arm around her making sure she felt safe, remembering the horrible sinking feeling he felt when he knew he would never live a normal life. Tom was just staring blankly at the floor, his eyes were wide and face pale but his fists were clenched in fierce battle with his emotions. Looking up he saw Eagle patting Tom's shoulder and Fox watching him and Eve, he smiled weakly at Alex who gripped Eve in response.

"Daniels? Rider? ALEX?" A woman's voice called, "No leave me alone, we recived an emergency call from an agent, we need to see them NOW!"

"Surely if Fox or Cub messaged you they would have come to me first."

"Not if it was a matter of information and or Scorpia!" Jones came clattering into the barn and saw the group sitting in the corner, all looking battered and sad. Alex and Fox seemed fine but all but the two newbies were looking at her, "The Helicopter is outside, what is going on?"

"We need to talk! Now." Fox stood up, the others all followed. Alex half stood but the girl seemed to be crying, Alex bent back down and put his arms around her.

"But they can't die!" Eve sobbed as Alex bent back down to her, "They have done nothing!"

"Look Eve, they won't hurt them if we do what I plan to. Keep far, far away from England and change your and Tom's name, Jones can sort that. Come here." Alex bent down and picked her up, she continued to sob into his shoulder, and walking back over Alex joined the conversation.

"…We need to get somewhere even Blunt can't find us." Fox finished, looking over at Alex he smiled slightly, he was such a knight, and Fox suspected Alex kinda liked the girl.

"Is she alright Alex?"

"Yes Miss, just had some tough news. Its fine, you can talk to her once we get somewhere safe."

"I got that from Daniels! This could be classed as blackmail…"

"Yes, but this is much more important! Lifesaving Jones!"

"Fine, follow me to the helicopter." She clicked out, her patent black heals dotted with dust, they all followed. The class were all watching from outside the hut as Jones climbed into the driver seat, then Fox, Eagle helped the slightly weak legged Tom in but when they saw Alex carrying the now just crying Eve all hell broke out.

"TOLD YOU!" Charlie screamed, "YOU PIECE OF SHIT RIDER!"

"Can I yell at them?" Eve looked up, "Please?"

"Go for it, and make sure it stings. I don't care as long as it doesn't hurt you. We wont see them again." So as they climbed in Eve yelled out before she pulled the door shut.

"HE IS A BETTER KISSER THAN YOU!" And she slammed the door.

Eagle and Fox had only just stopped laughing when they landed half an hour later. Alex had spent most of the journey with one eyebrow raised and shaking his head, Tom has spent it conducting the two very out of tune men as they sang 'Can you feel the love tonight' and Eve grinned slightly sadly. It was only when Jones climbed through to the back that Eagle stopped.

The house looked old and slightly decrepit, it had dirty bricks and a painted red front door. It seemed to be a semi-detached house as there were two front doors, and over 8 windows on the large front. But as the rambling rose covered both fronts Alex suspected that MI6 owned both, or Jones owned both. It was on a small road next to a bit road, it had a number of houses on them, all looking posh but not all were modern, the nearest house had a girl looking out of the window watching down on them eating a lollypop. A little blue ford sat on the pebble drive and the front lawn, which contained a helicopter, was mown in a haphazard way. A large wood pile stood behind the house and a number of dodgy barns clumped together nearby. The entire plot was circled by large trees and little piles of logs. On the other side of the drive, which went up the middle of the plot, was another patch of lawn with a bench and umbrella in the middle. The whole place seemed a bit rugged and out of the way while reminding Alex of fairy tales.

"It's my personal retreat house; I keep it from Blunt where it is even. Around here I am Rose Jupitus, and as you can see I flew this contraption myself so no agents know where this place is. Now before you get out of this I need you to change, Alex you should find a box in there of clothes for you all. Because you are in a Helicopter Eagle you are going to be my posh friend, you can keep your REAL name, Daniels, you and Tom can be with them like guards, Alex and Eve both of you can pass as kids so you are Eagle's kids. Eve you can get changed below the window in the front, away from the boys but stay hidden. I can get to the house and change and come out, to find you.

Alex opened the box and found some very fashionable expensive clothes; passing out the packages to the relative person they all got changed.

Eagle clambered into the pilot seat and opened the door, his perfectly shone brown shoes clashed with is personality but never mind. He wore a neat casual shirt and brown chino's and was grinning in his usual way, but in this outfit he looked like a movie star. Jones came out the house in a casual dress and hugged him, Fox followed in a black suit, also looking very dapper without his hat. Opening the back door, Fox helped Eve. She seemed younger than normal as she was wearing a pale blue dress which had dark blue lace covering the entire thing making it look expensive but cute. Alex followed out in a plain white t-shirt, chino's and blazer with Tom coming up the rear in a black suit. Jones greeted all of them and they trooped into the house.

"Well that was a lot for nothing!" Tom exclaimed once they were sitting down in the living room,

"No I wasn't, you will be staying here some time so we need to adopt personas for all of you, except our little friend the movie star." Jones cast a look towards Eagle who was lying back with glasses on.

"Well do you have a table we could all sit around?" Fox lent forward loosening his tie in a I'm-annoyed-with-this-contraption way.

"Yes follow me," Jones stood up and stalked off, Alex noticed that without her heals she was quite short and duck footed. Wandering though the house she opened a door under the stairs and down a small corridor into the other side of the house.

It was modern, bright and simple with a large table with 6 chairs around. It had computer screens covering one wall and 8 headsets in holders. Alex put a hand in his back pocket and pulled out the gun so he could sit down. Jones flinched at the sight of it but didn't say anything, Eve pulled her knives out of the small bag she held and Eagle shoved his pistol in his waistband. Fox and Tom just had them in their pockets like good security guards.

"What do you need?" Jones sat at the head of the table and the others all sat around her.

"We need nothing but someplace safe but we have some information you might like."

"Go ahead." Jones sat forward in her chair and pulled her case, which Alex hadn't noticed, close.

"Well first Alex needs to tell you something."

"Yeh, I stole two documents of you that you stole of Blunt." Alex looked unashamedly at Jones who actually smiled.

"Oh which ones? As I haven't read a few yet and if it's the ones I have read I can't see how they help, most are useless mission reports for you, except two which I need to read."

"The letters." Jones's face became a hard line and she clenched her only visible fist, "But anyway we have been looking at them and a note we have found. First the letters, well we have read them both and we have a few idea's."

"One second, off the table." Everyone leant back as Jones flipped it to show a massive touch screen with pens. Alex grabbed one and wrote _letters_ in the middle and circled it.

"Well we think my missions were more than just 'fight against evil' we think particularly the first one might have been a test," Jones held out her hand and Fox gave her the letters to read, her face became more and more pale as she went on.

"Well these were the two I hadn't read." She snarled, "This is official treason against the state, we could get him killed. Carry on."

"But the fact that he was plotting with Yassen means he would have been able to stop him shooting my Uncle, but I think because of the second letter it was Blunt who ordered it. To get hold of me. Also he was probably plotting with Sayle as well, maybe to kill off all of the kids, run for minister and get control of England."

"Apart from that Ian was probably sent on a suicide mission and found out about Blunt's plan not the stormbreaker one!" Tom shouted suddenly.

"Exactly." Fox stated simply.

"Write that all down for me boys, I need that and this room has CCTV and voice recorder so I will be able to use that against him." Alex began to scribble again as Eagle pulled the machine gun and the note out of the bag too. "EAGLE!" Jones shrieked suddenly.

"Don't worry miss, its broken and important." Alex finished writing and Jones flipped the table again and permitted Eagle to place the gun, cling film and all, and the note on the table. Jones looked down and read the note, she popped a peppermint in her mouth as she read and she placed the note on the table again.

"Right, I will keep you here and you can train in the gym upstairs from here." Jones lent back, "But I sense the gun is of importance too."

"Yes Miss," Alex pointed to the scorpion on the butt, "This is Roia's gun, the person with the best shot always has a black gun, as you remember from my Scorpia training. I shot him on the first day of all of this. They placed it in the lake with the cling film on it which kept Roia's blood on the gun not washed off in the lake where they were both left. They were there to scare me. It means that Scoripa has infiltrated SAS Camp, which is why we ran."

"Well you did the right thing for once Alex, and you Daniels. Eve I need to talk to you, otherwise I need security to go get all your gear from the craft. Its daft leaving SAS gear in such an open space."

Eve followed Jones though the house and into the large kitchen, she leant against she cooker and faced Eve.

"I need to warn you."

"Why?"

"It sounds odd but being a girl in the world you just dropped into is tough, very tough. Boys, although the deny it, have a natural instinct to protect girls the only person this isn't present in is Alex because it was taken out of him by Stormbreaker mission when Nadia Vole tried to drown, poison, sting and kill Alex."

"Oh my…"

"But it means you will have people trying to kidnap you to get to Alex. You will have to be very aware, and show no affection to Alex even if you feel any."

"Miss!"

"And if you did, a word of warning about Alex. He is scared, he doesn't show it but I can tell, he is so so so scared right now. Please for me, keep an eye out for him."

"Yes Miss."

"Thank you."

**I need some help, i'm suffering writers block on the next chapter and i have no idea what to do next! Put it in a review for me if you have any ideas. Thanks x**

**Also i still need help on the summary still, so if you have ANY ideas please tell me cause it is currently killing me from the inside out! **

**George xx**


	22. Cold

Alex liked ceilings, they were strong, intricate and supported by everything except themselves. The ones in Jones's spare room was old and made of wood, there were knots, dips, lumps and even some little gaps between where webs hung. The room was fairly small and neatly done out, it had a bunk bed with a double on the bottom and single on the top. Eagle had decided he wanted a single, so did Eve and Eve didn't want to be near the window so it ended up with Tom and Alex sharing the double and Eve in the upper bunk. Jones had pulled out loads of blankets so each of them was comfortable and happy, except Alex. He lay looking up past Eve's bed and to the ceiling in deep thought.

_Why does Scorpia want me dead SO much? I know I killed them but they would only chase me so far, only come out of hiding so much. They aren't like Snakehead, they aren't big enough to be obvious. Or is it just because I'm surrounded by them that I think they are obvious, are they hidden from the rest of the world and I'm just in a little world of my own. _

"A little world of my own." Alex breathed to himself, letting his fringe flicker with the breeze.

"You're awake?" A small female voice said above him, it was weak from none use but still just there.

"Never went to sleep." Alex whispered back, sitting up he pulled his t-shirt back down and slid out of bed silently. He could just see a pair of eyes staring at him, Eve pulled herself up to and by crossing her legs she let a space for Alex to sit. Tom snorted in a very un-flattering way and Eve giggled.

"Is he always like that?"

"Pretty much, I mean this is Tom Harris. Major sleeper, eater and general lay about." Alex began to slip so to keep himself silent he grabbed the bar next to Eve and hung before hauling himself up, Eve smirked.

"Wow, you are so clumsy one would wonder how you became a spy!"

"I didn't, I became a mobile, manipulative bomb who is totally controllable. You saw what happened to me and Fox didn't you?"

"Don't say Me and Tom will end up like that!"

"I really hope not, because to get to that point you have to have been shot, tortured every other month, been forced to fight a losing battle, lost everything and then forced to lie to everyone and pretend all is okay. But then 3 days later you get pulled away and forced to fight, lie, murder, torture and maim for a life you don't even get paid for. Your payment is your life IF MI6 come and get you."

"How long has this been going on?"

"Since Ian died, so about 9 months."

"And… you got shot?"

"Yep," Alex lifted his t-shirt and showed Eve the large scar that covered the right side of his chest. Eve felt bile rise in her throat and tried to look away but everywhere on Alex's chest were scars, some raw others just pale lines in the pale skin. All of it was marked with muscles no teenage boy should ever need, pulling muscles and ones that lead up to his arms. Alex dropped his tee and looked over at Eve's shocked face.

"I can promise you, you will never ever look like that on my watch."

"Alex, Jones warned me that Men have a habit to use girls against opposing men. Is that true?"

"I assume so."

"Assume?"

"Yeh, this is the first mission where I am working with people who I actually trust. Which includes a small, fierce, violent brunette." Alex put on a face of mock concentration, "I wonder who that is?"

"Tom." Eve giggled, "Defiantly." Alex chuckled, leaning against the wall he felt a prickle of unease on the back of his neck. He stopped laughing very fast and in a second was sliding down onto his bed and grabbing his gun from under his pillow.

"Eve, get you knives. I'm not saying something IS up, but something feels wrong. Alex glanced at the still snoring Tom and shook his head at Eve who slid down the bars and landed next to him. Alex slid over to the window, making sure he stayed out of sight and peered out.

A man in all black stood next to the helicopter taking photos of it, Alex grabbed his phone of the side and used the camera to zoom in on his boot. Sure enough there was a Scorpion on it, but under that there was a symbol which Alex had seen once before. It was a sign of a lone agent, it was sign used to show that they worked alone and had no answers, and also that if Alex killed him now that Scorpia wouldn't find it suspicious for quite some time. Also that nobody else from Scorpia knew of their position except this one agent.

"Scorpia Lone Agent." Alex muttered, "Go wake Jones but nobody else."

Eve's face went pale in an instant but she slipped outside and Alex heard a grunt as she woke Jones next door. In about 30 seconds Jones was standing next to Alex just out of sight watching the man take photos.

"Can you take him from this distance? Its about 40 foot I guess Rider."

"I can, murder or maim."

"Depends, go for murder, we really need them all gone."

"Yes Miss." Alex pushed the window open very slowly and pointed the gun at the man, he bent down to take a photo and on the way up,

BANG.

The agent didn't even have time to turn before the bullet hit him in the back, right behind his heart. He crumpled at lights came on, in an instant Alex hid the gun, pushed Jones and Eve down and pushed the window on as Fox came in and turned on the light.

"What was that!?" The man called from the house opposite, Alex couldn't believe they hadn't seen the body yet but he called back.

"I have no idea! All I know is it sounded like a… gunshot!"

"Oh my boy!" A woman called, "I really hope it was just a backfiring car."

"So do i. Well see you in the morning." The man disappeared back inside, the woman followed and slowly the lights went out across the road. Alex pulled the window and turned round to everyone including the now awake Tom.

"Well that's my first cold blood murder." Alex shrugged, "I'll go sort the body." And walked out. Everyone glanced at each other but a cold draft had metaphorically and really come into the room, Fox dragged Eagle out and kicked Toms little bag of clothes towards him, getting the message everyone went to get dressed. Eve however dived into the wardrobe and dragged out some random black clothes that may or may not fit.

"Alex, please don't say you were expecting to be left alone after that comment." Eve's light footsteps followed his down the stairs, he could hear heavier footsteps but they stopped at the top as Alex walked through the corridor and towards the outside door.

"Eve now isn't the time for you to be asking questions." Alex replied coldly, his body had gone cold as he had shot the man. His hands were still shaking and he needed to be alone, but for some reason even Alex's cold voice didn't send her away.

"Alexander Rider!" She whispered fiercely, "Stop right there." Even Alex stopped when Eve sounded angry, he stopped and she held out some clothes to him, she was already dressed in all black and she had some of Alex's clothes in her hand. "You might want to blend into the darkness more, in case people are watching still. I have turned off all external lights and internal so I think its pitch black outside."

"Urm, thanks." Alex took the clothes off her, a hoodie and black jeans later they both stood outside. Eve was washing off the grass, Helicopter and finding the bullet while Alex checked the man for trackers. He found one in his shoe and decided to make it seem as if the man had slept in a hedge, so he fashioned a small flag and placed it in the hedge. Eve then picked up the bullet, placed it in a cup she had found in the porch and helped Alex carry the body inside. Jones, now also dressed, scowled as small drops of blood trailed though her house to the large table in the modern half. Fox entered dressed, and like Alex and Eve, fully awake. Tom slouched in half-dressed but woke up at the sight of the man dripping blood on the floor. Eagle was almost sleepwalking as he wandered in pulling his shirt on. Jones handed him a mop and she and him went to sort out the blood with Tom trailing behind with a cloth to dry it.

"What do you know Alex?" Fox pulled up a chair next to the man looking at his face intently.

"Well he is a lone agent, one of the scouters, he will go out alone for years on end and then come back with money, important intel and/or people."

"So this is why you know you can get away with shooting them."

"I hope so, while…I was there one of them came back and said that two of these loners had been shot by the Marines. They didn't really care that much, Lone Agents tend to be the lowest of the low and not really worth looking for in the long term."

"So we are safe with this one?"

"Well currently the tracker thinks he is sleeping in hedge so as long as tomorrow we attach that tracker to somebodies foot and make it look like they got shot many many miles from here we should be safe."

"I reckon Eagle is the best for that, least traceable afterwards. Me and you can disappear Alex but Eagle is a pavement artist. Able to vanish into thin air."

"Sure, we will attach him to some sort of communication unit and we will go for a flight in a copter."

"Are there any good criminals round here Jones?" Fox turned to Jones as she walked back in.

"At least 20 miles from here there is a convicted drug dealers hideout, we haven't been able to find the man but it is a good place to 'kill him'. I have ex-prints from a gun we found from him after he exported over 10 tonnes to France, we can use them to make prosthetics if I can get them to MI6."

"I can fly you if you want, as long as we can hide these three in the back. Tom could you help drive if I taught you now? Alex, Eve I know you two can use a comms unit so you two keep in touch with Eagle as he moves around. You can stay in the compartment, should be space."

"I think you underestimate me," Jones was now passed by the two boys who pulled up chairs and slid down, yawning. Jones grinned and pointed with a small controller to one of the screens, it flipped slowly and became a blueprint, "This is MY helicopter, it is more sophisticated than any of MI6 ones. Under the floor is a small compartment to hide things in that only I can open. You should have space in there for a couple of computers, and two people. I will go in the back after you two have helped me make it into a posh enough Chopper for movie star Eagle to go in."

"Well when do we do this then?" Eagle lent forward, a light of adventure in his eyes. Jones flipped another screen and pulled out tonnes of wires, headphones, mini-mics and even a small necklace type thing.

"There is god-knows how many comms units in there. A least enough for all of and a few!" Eagle reached in and tried to untie a few, Jones slapped his hand and pulled a small wire and they all fell apart neatly, "Right, Eagle go get into your SAS gear. You are going to be Agent Raven who is a rouge MI5 agent. All you have to do is pretend to have amnesia."

"Yes Miss."

"Daniels, Harris get into your agent gear now. Alex, Eve I promise I will get you some blacks for the future but they really don't fit you. Go get into some comfy stuff, it can be whatever you like but just to be sure make sure some of your stuff is stored inside. I think one of my belts would work for you Bellemy." Jones pottered out and they all followed to get changed.

Alex grinned and rolled on the uneven lawn to avoid a ball of newly made mud they were decorating Eagle with. Eagle however was fighting back. Both Eve and Alex were in SAS trousers but Alex had thrown on a plain white t-shirt and Eve was in her green one, also both were in very un-tied boots and didn't care. Alex had properly clean hair for once, but as they had thrown mud at Eagle to make him look 'on-the-run' he had started to fight back, and Alex didn't fancy having another wash in 10 minutes.

Alex dived behind the clean washing and splashed a little mud onto the floor, mixing it around he created a ball and aimed for Eagles ankles. It hit making a faint splash on the waterproof material. Eagle spun around but Alex had already taken refuge behind a huge tree. Eve created some mud and hit Eagle in the knee. Eagle spun again trying to win but then Alex grabbed a handful of leaves and sticks and threw them at the back of Eagle's head. They hit and Alex took the opportunity to rugby tackle him and rub the dirt in. Jumping off the filthy man he ran for his life, attracting the attention of the small girl who dived to open her window. Pushing Eve back behind the building he turned to the small girl.

"Are you army people?"

"No, I just did some training with them." Eagle sent her a movie star grin, which she smiled at.

"How come your kid is them?" She tilted her head slightly to the side and frowned at Alex, who sent her an equally dazzling smile.

"He brought me stuff back to wear so I could play about. You see, chinos aren't very practical and these are high level gortex."

"Who are you?"

"Will Bronkharts, this is my son."

"Are you a movie man?"

"No, I used to be but I became a single parent and needed to spend more time at home. So I now run a weapons buissness."

"Oh no…" The little girl put a lollypop in her mouth and gazed at Alex in a way that scared him slightly.

"What is your name?" Eagle grinned and she blushed.

"Elizabeth Jayne Francesca Charlotte Olivia Taylor, the 19th in line to the throne currently."

"How come you are here?"

"I get told to come here to be safe when things go bad."

"Bad?"

"Yeh! I heard Daddy say to Mummy that some people were after some other people and that those other people might be dangerous but that they were goodies who might be baddies but that we had to trust." She stopped and took a deep breath gazing in a slightly dangerous way at the two boys, "I heard MI6, Scorpion and…and…GUN!" She squealed and shut her window disappearing. Eagle glanced at Alex as Jones and the two 'guards' walked out. Alex quickly adjusted his smile back and kicked Eagle to remind him to as well.

"Here Eagle," She handed Eagle a small earpiece and wire attached to a dogtag that Alex knew was Eagles, but it had a sticker on it to make it 'Raven's'. Eagle stuck it in his ear and then pulled the dogtags on, tucking them down his front Alex went and retrieved the tracker and placed it on Eagle's boot.

"Just pull it off when you get to the hut. We will land nearby as soon as we can and create this 'murder'. Is the money inside?"

"We have loaded it onto the chopper in an inconspicuous bag."

"Well, let's go." Alex grabbed the two bags complete with headphones off Fox and looking around he snuck Eve on and Jones pulled a small set of keys from around her throat, placing them in a tiny lock Alex hadn't noticed she pulled up a tiny keypad, typed in a code and lifted the entire bottom of the Helicopter. The area underneath was curved but had two pillows and two planks under. Alex climbed in and placed one of the bags on each 'desk'. Sitting on one of pillows he pushed his legs out and helped Eve in, she sat much more gracefully.

"The back and front of this section are one way glass and you can use them, you have the entire of this under section to create a 'office' of sorts." Jones then pulled the floor back down. The area became entirely black and Eve squeaked, Alex opened his case and as he straightened he felt his head brush the top. It must have been about 4ft at the highest point but Alex had a feeling that it would feel bigger when it became light. Sliding over to Eve they lay down and waited for everything to start, then slowly

_Thud_

_Thud thud_

_Thud thud thud thud_

_Thud thud thud thud thud thud thud thud_

_Thud thud thud thud thud thud thud thud thud thud thud thud thud thud thud thud thud thud thud_

They were away, first mission was going well… so far.

**Hey people, i would really really like some reviews as i feel like nobody is reading this but i can see the views going up.**

**Well shoutout to Hockeygirl003, i tried to message you back but you aren't logged in or dont have a profile cause it wouldnt let me, you idea is totally awesome and i have implemented it now because it is that cool, tell me what you think if you get the chance!**

**Guest- yes i dont plan, i have an idea and i just let it go and i dont really know where bits are going but i have an overall thing i want to do with it, so i expand it!**

**REVIEW PEOPLE! Lets see if we can get 40 before the 30th chapter!**

**George xx**


	23. Fear

**IMPORTANT A.N. AT THE END PLEASE READ AND FOLLOW!**

"Guys, where are we?" Eve spoke gently into the microphone and Alex glanced back at her, she had put her own tracker on Eagle and she was following him on her screen.

"Over the edge of London, Meerkat ." Fox's indefinably calm tones floated though everyone's comms.

"How come I'm stuck with Cub even though I'm older than her!?" Alex moaned

"Because you will always be Fox's little boy." Eagle said, slightly out of breath.

"Because you are violent and small." Fox hissed, "And Eagle, if I said that I think Alex might have burst out of his compartment and knocked me out."

"He would have to try hard." Jones smiled, "I locked it and its bulletproof."

"GODDAMMIT!" Alex cursed pulling his microphone away from his mouth and going back to his laptop, opening a page of UNIX up he began to type quickly in HTML. Eve pulled the microphone away from her mouth too and slid over on her pillow.

"What you hacking?"

"A website."

"Which website?"

"Why?" Alex spun round too, Eve had her arms crossed and was smirking.

"Because I know HTML and I want to know why you are changing the 'Gallagher Girls' logo into green!"

"Because they are American girls school for posh snobs, sorry I'm bored and I want to cause some chaos! And the fact this website was open on Jones's computer and also she had a website saying to another Agent 'Townsend' to look at it. I just want to make sure they all know I can do what I like, I'm pissed off with being controlled by these bastards!" Alex looked at his feet and Eve studied him carefully, he was acting almost like a teenage boy! It shocked her a bit but he was a teenage boy, a very cute, very hot, very very unlucky teenage boy. Eve imagined a world where neither of them were spies and Tom and her were laughing with the others, Alex came over and they all greeted him happily he slid an arm around her back and kissed her lightly. Eve shook herself and looked at the real Alex who had just hit enter looking mischievous. Leaning back he started counting on his fingers until about 64 seconds later a phone went off overhead, Alex grinned and pulled his microphone back.

"Yes… GREEN?" Jones sounded shocked on the other end of the phone, Eve giggled, "Well their website is easy to go at…no… well it could be… no it wont be them, only you or I knows about the whole fiasco… Haven't they? But I thought she was the head's daughter?... Oh… Well investigate the badge, we need to know who and when." Jones hung up.

"Whats wrong miss?"

"A school in the states we are investigating have a very basic website, well another Agent has just been looking at the website and the badge has turned green while he was online. Somebody has hacked it, maybe as a message to us."

"Oh…" Tom muttered, "What you laughing at Fox?"

"Just remembered a trick I once taught somebody to hack easy websites using HTML, to change the colour of stuff. It was a while ago and I was laughing because the _person _in question was innocent and young at the time and he would have found it _hilarious _to hack websites to scare people."

"Could you teach me how to do that Fox, cause I would _love _to scare people with it in my spare time." Alex almost burst out laughing but he was skilled enough to take the microphone off and tuck it under the pillow he was sitting on, Eve did the same and then both of them burst out laughing. Almost crying into silence, Alex pulled the mic out and started to listen to the others again.

"Sir, I am landing ontop of the bank with Miss Jones."

"Is everything okay sir?"

"Yes, we just have some business to attend to and we will be leaving as soon as possible."

"Of course Sir, can I ask your name, creds and any passengers and passenger creds too please."

"Tulip Jones, agent liaison and deputy head of MI6. Agent Daniels, Level 1. Agent Rider, Level 1. Tom Harris and Eve Bellemy."

"Harris and Bellemy can't enter."

"Yes they can," Jones spoke up, "They are Agents level 5."

"Oh, thank you miss. You can now land." The man hung up and Fox stung together some foul curses and started to mutter about newbies and secretaries. Half way through Jones began to cough in a fake I'm-pretending-I'm-not-hearing-one-of-the-best-agents-in-the-world-act-like-a-secondary-school-kid way. Alex just turned back to his computer to change the 'Gallagher Girl' logo back to pink, sighing. Eve turned round and began to talk Eagle around and everything went back to normal, for about 30 seconds until light suddenly blinded the two kids. Jones lifted the lid and held out a hand to help Eve out, she clambered out with good grace and Fox grabbed Alex's wrist. He flipped him unceremoniously onto the concrete and Alex pushed himself up,

"That's for changing the logo midget." Fox grabbed his wrist again and helped him up, "And that's for playing an awesome trick." They both shared a slightly evil smirk, but on entering the building Alex could tell from the way the hairs on his neck stood on end that something was wrong. Jones, un-knowing, tapped off to her office but Fox called her, she ignored him so he grabbed the two newbie Agents and held them back.

It was almost silent in the supposedly loudest corridor in MI6, checking the nearest door Alex assured himself it was MI6. Eve looked at the two spooked Agents, both were looking around warily, both had their guns pulled and off safety. The whole area was immaculate, perfectly clean walls, floors, ceilings. The doors were all shut, neat and none had any sign of a struggle on them. They all looked around, a look of fear flashed across Alex's face as he heard a scream down the next corridor and he set off running, Fox at his side. Stopping at the corner Alex went round corner first like in the movies. Fox followed and Eve and Tom stumbled after, both looking petrified. Alex kept moving forward, looking around he kept slowly moving until a gunshot made him flinch and recoil before flattening himself against the wall. Fox did the same and pulled the other two back as well. Alex then suddenly moved, slamming into the enterance of the room before stopping suddenly looking down in shock, then back up. Eve, sensing no danger, stood by him side looking into the room.

It was dark, the blinds were pulled down and the two men stood comfortably looking down at the body on the floor. Her black hair was fanned around her head, to show she had fallen, her eyes were wide and scared and a large amount of blood surrounded her head. The bullet was lodged in her forhead, the colour in her face was only just fading. Alex crouched down and closed her eyes. Standing up he aimed his gun at the men, his face was also pale and he was solid with anger.

"Give me one reason to shoot and I will." Alex's voice was hard with anger, it wasn't like at the camp it was more like an adult. Eve was pushed out the way as Fox stepped in too also holding his gun out front.

"Because I'm your boss, and he is your fathers best friend." A cold emotionless voice called out of the dark, Alan Blunt stood next to Yassen with ease. Eve watched the two men take a step forward and she gulped, she couldn't go back now. Pulling out her two knives she stood between the two men, holding them lightly but ready to throw. Tom just stayed behind the door, clicking on something.

"That just makes me want to kill you more." Fox snarled, and finally Eve saw the two laughing best friends become Level 1 agents.

"Well, we heard about your little escape and I heard from reliable my sources that you found the gun and note. My godson has always been so easily manitputable." Alan turned round and pulled a boy out of the shadows, he was more pale even than Jones. His brown hair seemed limp with the shock of what he had done, Charlie stood eyes wide at the three Agents.

"You son of a bitch." Eve spat at Charlie, "You total and utter…" But words failed Eve Bellemy when she looked at the boy who had begun to smirk.

"You wouldn't hurt me, babe." Charlie smirked, "I still love you. And even if he is a better kisser, he is currently covered in blood and a total outcast."

"I wouldn't hurt you?" Eve's voice was as cold as the two boys, even as Tom cackled in an evil way from behind the doorway. He was obviously succeeding at something.

"No you wouldn't." Charlie stepped forward, and Eve pounced. The knife was in his head before she realised what she was doing, her whole body went cold as the two men didn't even help the boy. He gave a startled scream and hit the floor with a resounding clunk. Yassen smiled in a cold way before looking at the floor again and Blunt just raised his eyebrow unconcerned. Her heart stopped and started in a way that suggested a heart attack but she just kept a totally straight face and faced the Assassin and the Traitor of the country.

"Leave Alex Rider." Yassen suddenly said and everyone looked at him, "Leave now. I kill once, not twice." And with that Fox grabbed Eve's hand and began to run, Tom grabbed two wires from the skirting board and put them together causing all the lights to short circuit. Alex backed out the door, staring at the two men, Blunt began to yell at Yassen who just held his hand up and flicked his head at Alex who grabbed Tom and also began to run.

The corridors were silent but for the jagged breaths of 5 people on the run, Fox was already on the roof with Jones's helicopter open when Alex and Tom appeared. The dark corridors gave way to a groundshattering amount of noise as the Agents flung themselves into Jones's chopper. Sirens, Helicopters, cars, screaming and people shouting. On the ground about 50 emergency vehicles were clustered around the base of Royal and General, Alex could see the outline of two men on the roof. One cursing the other. The other man stood totally still and just watched the Helicopter.

Yassen didn't smile, Yassen didn't frown, Yassen didn't show any emotion as Alan Blunt swore next to him. He just watched the impossible boy leave, wishing that he would never see him again, wishing that he would never have to make an excuse not to kill the blond bomb. He should never have entered this world, and Yassen should never ever have sent that Email 8 years ago. He had been young, power hungry and ready to fight to get it. Alan Blunt was an easy target to get on his side and to get what he wanted. But Yassen had lost heart in the operation when he had seen the boy at his Uncle's funeral. He had resembled his father, he had been mourning and MI6 took advantage of Alex Rider when he had been mourning. Yassen never told anyone this. Yassen never showed emotion. Yassen began to plan.

Nobody looked away from the entrance where men and women, some injured, others not, to see a black Helicopter take off and fly above the press and away to the north, away to the house of a woman that would never come back to care for its lawn.

The helicopter was silent on the way back except for Tom talking to Eagle. Eve was just curled in Alex's side, silent tears carving paths on her cheeks. Alex had red covering his body a small patch on his cheek. Nobody but Alex and Eve knew but in that moment tears also fell down the teenage spy's face, the mixed with the blood to form a substance that reminded the boy of Ribena. Reminded the boy of normality and safety.

Reminded him of dreams.

**Yes, i hate it too but in the original Queen song they proudly sang, "The show must go on."**

**Now i'm sorry to be mean but i need to ask the world two favours.**

**1) I really do need some reviews, cause this story needs a good push and some suggestions will do that. I dont care what they are but i need need need need NEED some reviews kinda of ASAP!**

**2)Read the Gallagher Girls series of books, or search them up, and watch NCIS! I am going to write follow on's to this story that are crossovers of both. NCIS is on Channel 5 and all you need to do is watch like one episode to meet the character's and DM me for any questions. My first follow on will be a GG crossover so look them up asap!**

**Thank you people! And PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE Do as i suggest!**

**GW xx**


	24. Songs

Everyone slept restlessly that night, they had come back to find Eagle asleep on the doorstep. Fox had carried him in and let him sleep on the sofa, nobody wanting to wake him to the bad news. But even Eve agreed, they couldn't last much longer without all exploding.

Alex was growing restless, he constantly had to text Jack, to check she was okay. The last text had made Alex finally sleep,

**Yo Al, I have been picked up by some dude called Smithers and I'm in a safeplace. I can't say where, cause I don't know, but Smithy is a nice dude and these two SUPER HOT agents are guarding us. Smithy told me about Jones, and he gave me a super secure phone he had been working on. Chill out mate, I'm safe, sleep! X**

Alex had finally slept at this point, twisting and turning. He was sleeping in Jones's room as he went to bed last, and woke up first. His nightmares made everyone else uncomfortable so he had opted to sleep in the dead woman's bed.

_Alan Blunt's face wove in front of him, blurry at first but becoming clearer as Alex blinked. He was holding Yassen's head in his hand. Everything was dark except for the chair which Alex was in, he tried to get up but plastic ties secured his hands, ankles and neck, all three were re-enforced with rope but the plastic cut into Alex's skin and blood trickled down his bare front. Alex didn't know why but he was only wearing his chinos, but they were ripped and his knees were bare. His torso was covered in cuts and bruises, but Alex recognised them from the ones he had from Ark Angel. He felt bile in the back of his throat and his whole body ached for reasons Alex didn't know. _

_"__Ah Alex," Blunt's voice wasn't his, it was Yassen's voice, "You should have run."_

_"__I did run." Alex cried. He struggled again but nothing worked. Blunt began to walk around Alex's chair, grinning, he dropped Yassen's head at Alex's feet. The eyes wide and with a look of hatred that Alex had seen once from Yassen, when he had killed the man for dropping the package in Stormbreaker. Alex tried to recoil but the ties stopped him, Blunt laughed it wasn't his laugh though, it was Eagle's. _

_"__He was weak, he wanted you alive. I killed him two days ago." It wasn't Blunt's voice again, but it had changed, it was Ben's voice._

_"__Ben?!" Alex screamed, "BEN!" _

_"__They don't care, they really don't." Eve's voice rang though Alex's head, "The good thing about having spies in the company means I know everything and they don't care about you Alex Rider. How do you know Jack isn't lying? That Eve isn't on our side? That Fox is who he says he is, they might ALL be lying Alex Rider. I would kill them all, or yourself. Bullet though the head, many many lives saved and many many people saved of having to cope with you." _

_"__LIAR, I know he cares, I know Ben cares!"_

_"__NO HE DOESN'T!" Blunt's face morphed into Ben Daniels, who smirked at Alex, daring him to move. Alex went limp, closing his eyes he opened them to see all of them standing looking at him. "We don't actually care about you Alex, Eagle is paid to follow you, Eve and Tom are just scorpia agents waiting to strike, and me? Well I couldn't care less about you Alexander John Rider, I am a double agent."_

_"__No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no." Alex began to chant closing his eyes._

_Alex felt his chair change, it became softer and like a bed. He was curled up in the middle with blankets covering him, shaking. He could hear people talking,_

_"__He's finally cracked Miss." A woman's voice claimed bluntly, but Alex could hear a voice singing, almost as if though a radio. It was a male voice, and it was calming to Alex even though it was quiet. _

_"__Will he be confined?" The second woman's voice was sharp and evil but it was faint compared to Alex's song._

_"__No, we think it would be more fitting to just send him on a suicide mission. Get rid of him, for his own safety." Alex curled up tighter at this, but the song was getting louder and louder, the duvet was getting heavier and heavier. The mattress softer and more comfortable._

Fox sprang out of bed like a shot,

"BEN!" Alex screamed, ignoring Eagle muffled snore Fox bolted though to the boy's room. He saw the boy was struggling against invisible bonds, his face pale and his bare torso was strained from his struggling. "LIAR!" Alex screamed again, he contorted round trying to escape something.

"Alex." Fox reached towards Alex who suddenly started to scream again as he cried out.

"No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no." Tears had begun to run down his face. Remembering what Eve had done Fox picked a song.

_"__I'm gonna pick up the pieces and build a Lego house  
If things go wrong we can knock it down  
My three words have two meanings but there's one thing on my mind  
It's all for you  
And it's dark in a cold December, but I've got you to keep me warm  
If you're broken I will mend ya and keep you sheltered from the storm that's raging on, now  
I'm out of touch, I'm out of love  
I'll pick you up when you're getting down  
And out of all these things I've done, I think I love you better now"  
_  
"Not…mad…" Alex mumbled from beneath the cover but Fox realized his shaking was getting less and that all he could hear properly now was Alex's sobs.

_"__I'm out of sight, I'm out of mind  
I'll do it all for you in time  
And out of all these things I've done, I think I love you better now, now  
I'm gonna paint you by numbers and colour you in  
If things go right we can frame it and put you on a wall  
And it's so hard to say it but I've been here before_

_Now I'll surrender up my heart and swap it for yours  
I'm out of touch, I'm out of love  
I'll pick you up when you're getting down  
And out of all these things I've done, I think I love you better now  
I'm out of sight, I'm out of mind  
I'll do it all for you in time  
And out of all these things I've done, I think I love you better now"  
_  
"Won't go…" Alex almost whispered now, his sobs subsiding._  
__  
"Don't hold me down, I think the braces are breaking and it's more than I can take."_

"Your safe now Alex." Ben stroked the teenager's blonde head in a parental way, pulling the covers off Alex he lifted Alex's head back onto the pillow and pulled the soft duvet back over his scared chest. Rubbing his eyes he padded back to his room and curled up to go to sleep.


End file.
